Path Of the Empath
by Ellen Dean
Summary: And you thought YOU were affected when Edward left Bella. Or when Rosalie "accidentally" told Edward that Bella was dead. This is Jasper's side of the story...FYI-he felt it all.
1. Emotions

Path Of the Empath: A _Twilight_ fanfic

**The disclaimer-I do not own the Twilight series or any of its characters**

Chapter 1-Emotions

**JPOV:**

Oh good lord. I knew that face. It was the party face. I stared into the wild-eyed face of my wife and cringed wondering which one of us was destined for the latest "Event Of The Century". Please don't let it be me. 

I had walked out onto the porch of our Washington home when I heard Alice walking up the drive, but now my instinct was to retreat quickly back into the sanctuary of the house before it hit me. The house had been empty all day. Not just void of vampires, but void of their feelings too-which suited me just fine. Edward and Alice had been at school, Carlisle at the hospital, Esme was out shopping with Rose and Emmett was with them. A day with no outside feelings sneaking their way into my body was rare. I had thoroughly enjoyed it. I could tell that the blissfulness of the day was about to expire in a rabid frenzy of party planning. Normally I reveled in the climate of Alice's emotions, but once she started the frenzy the feeling became overwhelming. Of course the frenzy eventually led to a quite pleased, relaxed and accomplished feeling Alice-which led to a pleased, relaxed, accomplished and happy feeling me…but not before the initial impact. As soon as she got one step closer it would happen. I would feel the stress, anticipation and the overdrive of her multi-faceted mind. Our eyes met…

"Jasper! Don't you even think about hiding from me!" she cried out as I tried in vain to close the door quickly. "Today is Bella's birthday, and we have tons to do before she gets here!"

"_We_ should really consider how _tons_ of birthday planning will make Bella feel sweetheart", I tried lamely, bracing myself against the tumult of her feelings-and against the door, with her on the other side of it.

"What is that supposed to mean silly?" Alice looked appalled. "She will absolutely _love_ her birthday party!" the cadence of her voice soothed me, and I relaxed my hold on the door.

"Alice, I know how much _you_ love parties, but I have also felt how _Bella _feels when she is forced into the spotlight. Trust me. It makes her feel uncomfortable. If she feels uncomfortable, then Edward will feel both uncomfortable and angry. Then he will take it out on you, and you will feel defensive and unappreciated. Then you will fight with him which will cause Esme to be melancholy, and when she is upset-Carlisle gets upset. Of course Rosalie will then act smug, causing Edward to get territorial-causing Emmett to get territorial, and further upsetting Esme and Carlisle. After all of that happens, Bella will look around with her cheeks at full blush and feel terrible for causing us discomfort in our own home-which will start the whole cycle with Edward again. Please, love, _don't do this to me_", I was trying. I was even fighting dirty, playing on her emotions for my well-being.

It didn't work. 

She slipped through the doorway smiling sweeter than any angel in heaven could and kissed my frowning lips. Ooh. She fought dirty too. As soon as I felt her breath and perfect lips I felt the torrent of love. I wasn't sure if it was me that felt it first or if she had and projected it to me. It didn't matter, because now it was bouncing back and forth between us. Each of us feeling it and sending it back at the same time as it grew and spiraled. I was losing both control and the birthday battle. My wife is the most beautiful, sweetest, most _conniving_, dangerous creature I ever met.

"Ok. What can I do to help this catastrophe along?" I am so weak when it comes to her. As soon as the words were out of my mouth I was flooded again. Emotions were like waves constantly crashing over me. I was used to this, but Alice's party planning and shopping frenzies were like tsunami's and flashfloods. The dizziness I felt was worth the look on her face though. She was like a kid on Christmas.

"I have everything under control, of course. Everyone is on their way home. They are so excited!" she grinned. "Maybe…"

Uh-oh, here it comes.

"…you should go hunting though", she looked more serious, uncomfortable even.

I was surprised as she finished the sentence. I was expecting to be the present wrapper, or balloon blower-upper, or…

Then it hit me. She wasn't letting me bail out of the decorating. She thought I couldn't handle a night in close proximity to Bella. She thought I would slip and accidentally drink the blood of our brother's human girlfriend. The shame for my weakness filled me and she must have felt the intensity of my guilt.

"Oh, Jasper-I didn't mean it like that. Of course I know you can do it. Why make it any harder though?"

"Alice, I would_ never_ hurt Bella."

She must have felt the intensity of my determination as well, because she let the topic of hunting drop. We spent the rest of the afternoon pretending she hadn't ever doubted me, while we decorated. After stringing lanterns through the trees, and arranging pink roses on every visible surface we had completely forgotten it. 

As the others arrived home they caught wind of my party excitement-which was really Alice's party excitement. The feelings grew exponentially as they became excited and started bouncing it back to me. I want to be aggravated but there is too much positive emotion going on right now. There hasn't been a _real_ birthday in this family in decades. Birthdays tended to become tedious after seventy years or so…especially when there was no actual aging. We had given up the tradition long ago. Besides, not one of us could stomach the idea of a birthday cake. I smiled at the monstrosity of a cake that was being created for one human. Bella had better like cake…or maybe I can convince Emmett that it would make for an excellent food fight…

"Don't you dare!" Alice glared from me to Emmett. Oops. I guess that plan was out…for now.

Emmett just looked confused. Of course he had no idea that in Alice's vision he was the accomplice in my birthday cake war. Of course he would count himself in if he _did_ know. I just smiled and thought very hard about _not_ throwing cake at Emmett and Edward. The future can always change later…


	2. Grateful

Path Of the Empath

**The Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to **_**Twilight**_** or any of its characters.**

Chapter 2-Grateful…

The house, and all resident vampires were ready. Our first birthday in decades was bound to be a success, mostly due to the attention and devotion of Alice to the matter at hand. She never let one detail slip through the sieve.

Her tenacity made her all the more alluring to me. I wonder how long before Edward shows up…

"You look so amazing." I looked her up and down as she walked down the stairs in her party attire.

The smile that crossed her face was priceless. I stood at the bottom of the stairs, gazing at her, my admiration utterly apparent on my face.

"There's that fine Southern gentleman I married. And to think, you didn't want a party." She smiled and the world stopped for me. She stopped at the second to last stair. She held out her hand, and I kissed it properly…before I scooped her into my arms. She was like air, as tiny as she was. I kissed her mouth praying that Edward would, for once in his existence, be late…I could not wait through an entire party to be alone with her.

Just when the kissing started to get intense, I heard him. Curse him and his sense of timing. He walked through the door with Bella and I swear I saw him smirking.

_Think you're funny Edward?_ I thought to myself as I stared at him.

He glanced at me briefly, and smiled to let me know that he heard me.

I could feel the smugness radiating off of him, and combined with my own frustrations…

I should kick the ever living crap out of his ass. Just because he is endlessly frustrated with the present physical situation between him and Bella…

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLA!" everyone shouted. I felt the instant jubilance of my family…but it didn't dissipate my aggravation.

I was about to stoop low. After decades of living with someone, you _really_ learned how to push their buttons. It's juvenile, yes, and it will probably start a fistfight later but I couldn't stop.

I started singing Grateful Dead songs in my head. Edward _HATES_ hippie music. I'm not a great fan or anything, to be honest it probably annoyed me almost as much as him, but I was determined to piss him off. Why was I so irritable today?

He glared at me. I smiled and kept singing.

Bella looked up at him and he quickly wiped the grimace off of his face and wrapped his arms around her. He was quickly shoved aside though, as our family rushed to hug and welcome her. It was still strange to me-the human contact. It wasn't that I didn't love Bella. I felt her impact on Edward, on all of us, and you might even say that I knew she was part of the family before anyone else did.

After the exuberant hellos, Alice immediately insisted on present opening. I laughed to myself as I continued my Grateful Dead montage. Maybe Edward would gain a new respect for the Dead and want to listen to them on the way back to Bella's later…I saw Emmett slip away to install the radio we had gotten her into her truck before she tried to talk us out of giving it to her. Alice had already had a vision of her trying to return it to the store and give us our money back, and was taking no chances. Luckily for Bella she saw the folly in trying to fight Alice on this one, and graciously thanked us. I could still feel her embarrassment. It endeared her to me even more. She was so selfless. I moved in closer to everyone to see what Edward had gotten her…still singing in my head of course…

_Blood._

_The song faded away, my family faded away…there was nothing just blood and desire. NOW…I had to have it now…_


	3. Blood and Silence

Path Of the Empath

**The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to **_**Twilight**_** or any of its characters.**

Chapter 3- Blood and Silence

JPOV:

_Blood._

It was instantaneous. All at once Bella cut her finger on the edge of the wrapping paper, I felt myself lunge and heard Edwards yell.

"NO!" I saw my brother step lithely between me and my bleeding prey. He threw himself at Bella, knocking her into the table and causing an avalanche of glass, icing and…_blood._

The thirst burned my throat, and the power behind my movement increased exponentially. I slammed full force into Edward trying desperately to go straight through him to Bella. I growled viciously. I felt my ribs contract as Emmett's enormous hands pulled me off of Edward. I struggled against them, beyond reason, beyond anything except blood lust. I couldn't see anything except the _blood_, I couldn't smell anything except the_ blood_, and I hated them for standing in my way.

Rosalie stepped up to my other side and helped Emmett wrestle me out the door. I snapped my teeth at her and struggled wildly under Emmett's grasp. Growling, salivating…

_What the Hell just happened?_ I was outside, locked into Emmett's grasp. The fresh air started to clear my foggy mind. _Oh my God. Did I just attack her? Is she alright?_

They must have sensed that my sanity had returned because they released their hold on me. I looked into Rosalie's face…she was annoyed and I could feel the smugness. That wasn't helping me process any information. I looked at Emmett. _Horror, pity…_Oh God. I picked through his emotions and not one of them implied that I hadn't just…

I ran. I didn't know what else to do. I saw the others start to make their way outside and didn't wait to see or feel their reactions. I didn't want to face Bella…or Edward. If he let me live it would be a miracle. Maybe I didn't deserve to live, because the number one reason I was running was because my throat still burned and I did not trust myself to not kill Bella.

Bella was the reason for my brother's existence. She was the light in the dark that we had all waited for because we hated his loneliness. And I had just tried to drink her blood. None of them should forgive me. I was the epitome of the monster they all railed against being. I was an utter failure at this life of goodness, of abstinence.

_Alice…what have I done?_ I ran for what seemed like an eternity, completely absorbed in thoughts of my Alice. Every mile I put between us hurt because I didn't know if I would ever get to see her again, or if I did see her how she would look at me. I ran faster trying to block out the idea of her hatred toward me. She had saved me in every way that a person could be saved…and then some. I had lived through decades of uncertainty and hatred. My existence was one full of war and greed before Alice had shown up like a beacon in the dark. She had given me a reason to go on. Even though I couldn't imagine it, she had seen our life with Carlisle's family and had known we would be happy. She had led us, through her visions and through her unwavering tenacity, to our new life. Every day that I continued to exist I owed to Alice. I had ruined everything. I can't believe myself. After all this time, years of denying my thirst for human blood, I couldn't manage to keep my faculties about me when it really mattered. When the human blood belonged to someone we cared about. I should stop. I should go back. I could apologize and beg for forgiveness from Bella and …Alice. _If Edward is going to kill me I will NOT let her see it._ I kept running. I loved her too much to put her through that.

Suddenly I felt…a desperate love for Bella? Where was that coming from? I looked behind me and saw Edward. I wanted to keep running so I wouldn't see the disgust in his face, but it would have been pointless. He would have out run me. I stopped and waited.

I felt the understanding buried beneath the immediate emotion of anger. I looked into his eyes, "_Does that mean you aren't here to kill me?" _I thought.

"No." he looked down. I could feel an apology coming, and I couldn't take it.

"Whatever you feel you should apologize for…don't. I tried to kill her Edward."

"I should not have put you in that situation."

I turned and growled at him "Stop feeling like this is your fault! I TRIED TO DRINK YOUR GIRLFRIENDS BLOOD!"

"I noticed. Luckily for you I stopped you. If you had succeeded I daresay this conversation would be going much differently. Jasper, I brought a human into our lives. That is…unique to say the least. I'm not sure who has it the hardest-our family, her or me."

My talent was taking over, sedating my horror and shame. I had been ready to die a minute ago, but now my cursed emotions were changing again-aligning themselves with Edward's. With the immediate threat of death gone, I relaxed and stretched my mind out to Edwards to see where he was coming from. The waves came quickly, crashing over me, pulling me under and rolling me with intensity. I wasn't sure what this meant…confusion? Guilt? Was that my guilt or his? Maybe it belonged to us both. An understanding is easy to achieve between brothers when one is an empath and one is a mind reader. The problems arise when you can't sugarcoat the cause and effect of that understanding.

"It must be very hard for you Edward. I fight every day with the idea of right and wrong. What is right or wrong for a vampire? None of our kind knows the answer to that. We exist because we commit murder. That can't be a good start."

"I've already accepted the fact that I will end up in Hell Jasper." He said quietly.

"Maybe you won't. Your situation _is_ unique Edward. You have to live by the standards our family has set for what is right and wrong for vampires, but Bella is human…so you have to live by those standards as well. Maybe if you do what's considered right by them, you will earn redemption. If they can be saved by doing the right thing, maybe you can be as well."

I felt the waves get wilder.

"I love Bella with a ferocity I can't even put into words…"

"You don't need to-I can feel how you feel about her."

"…which is why I think we need to make some changes in this situation." His face turned dark.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure. I have to keep Bella safe, even keep her from me if that's what it takes."

Whoa. Tidal waves now.

"Edward, you and Bella belong together…and to be frank, I don't think she can survive without you. She would trip over air and fall into a volcano in the middle of Forks if you weren't there to catch her. Even if you did break up with her, she might not necessarily be safe. Well, except for potential vampire bites." I looked down in shame again.

"I think someone with Bella's luck has no business hanging around with our kind. She has enough human dangers pointed at her-stairs, for example" he smiled in spite of the solemnity of the moment. "I can protect her from human danger, but I might not be able to save her from our kind of danger. I was almost too late with James, and today could have ended much differently if I couldn't read your mind. I can't be the reason for anything bad that happens to her."

"What are you saying Edward?" I could hardly stand now, with the intensity with which the waves were slamming into me. I was drowning in a sea of Edward's pain and fear.

"I think it's time the Cullens left Forks."

"I think you should reconsider this…" I was shocked. I had not seen this coming.

"I think we owe it to Bella." He was fighting with himself, and the battle was tearing my insides up.

"I guess a long distance relationship might be safer…but-"

Dread filled his face "Jasper, I'm going to let her go. I have to let her have a normal, human life."

My stomach filled with ice.

"But…_HOW?_" I thought.

"I don't know. I have to though. I owe her that." He answered before I could speak. I was grateful because I didn't think I had a voice. I felt responsible.

"It isn't your fault. It's mine. I was too selfish to think about what would happen to everyone if I fell in love with her." He shook his head sadly.

"Edward, maybe I should just leave…Alice will probably never forgive me for this anyway…"

"There is nothing to repent for or to forgive between you and Alice. The last thing she was thinking before I left was that she was worried about you-and that if I did anything to you, she'd kill me. She was working out some very colorful ways to do it too." He smiled, but it never reached his eyes.

"What if you and Bella leave then?" I was grasping. The pain radiating off of him was making me claw for ways to keep her in our lives. How could he stand this?

"That wouldn't stop the danger from coming at us. Our kind would always be curious-and we've seen what curiosity can turn into when it's mixed with Bella's luck. I…think this is the only way."

"Let's change her Edward." I was desperate.

"No."

"Alice has already seen it…"

"NO."

"I think she wants…"

"I SAID NO! I am not so selfish that I will take her life…and her soul." He cringed

"Edward, be reasonable…"

"If you breath another word about making Bella immortal, if you even think about it I will _make_ Alice avenge your death."

Apparently Bella becoming a vampire was _not _an option. We sat in silence, and he glared at me as I tried to steer my thoughts away from the obvious. It was hard. I remembered something…

"Can I ask you something?"

He nodded imperceptibly and waited.

I thought back to what he said earlier about his reading my mind. _…today could have ended much differently if I couldn't read your mind…_

"How did you know?"

He smiled "The silence. You had been singing that awful music non-stop, and then Bella cut her finger and there was silence in your mind."

Ah, my Grateful Dead montage. Maybe Edward would gain a new respect for hippie music since it saved Bella…

"Not likely." He grimaced at my thought.

It lightened the mood slightly, on the surface at least. Inside I could still feel the angry sea tearing at us. I sent as much calming emotion as I could to him. Deep down though, I knew there was no consolation for Edward. I knew things were going to get worse.


	4. Regret

Path Of the Empath

The disclaimer: I do not own _Twilight_ or any of its characters.

**Thank you to all those who have found an interest in my story! I appreciate the reviews more than I can express! Please keep reading…I now present-**

**Chapter 4-Regret**

I sat there next to Edward for awhile. Mostly we sat in silence. I ran out of things to say to express my regret for trying to kill Bella, for making him feel that she was unsafe and that he had to leave her. So I did the only thing left in my power. I used my talent to try to make him _feel_ my regret. What a dumb idea. It only served to intensify his own regret about putting Bella in danger. In his mind he saw himself as the most selfish creature to ever exist. I thought about how we were ALL selfish. We ended the lives of living things so that we may continue on. My weak arguments for selfishness being bred into our kind held no water for Edward. I know he was listening to my thoughts. I also know he was hoping. His deepest desire, whether he knew it or not, was to find a reason to stay with her. So I kept trying. I tried a million scenarios in my head. Eventually he stood up, gave me a small apologetic smile and turned toward home. Maybe he had left because he didn't want to hear me accuse him of being apprehensive about his plan. Maybe he just couldn't stay away from her any longer when he knew a much more permanent separation was looming ahead of them. Maybe both.

I let him get a head start on me. I wanted him to be able to take Bella home before I got there. I knew I was being overcautious at this point-I was completely in control of myself now, but I guess I thought somewhere deep inside of me that if I showed him how dedicated I was to ensuring her safety he would change his mind. This was my main reason, but there was another. _Alice._ I had to face her and the rest of my family.

I finally got together the nerve to start my walk of shame. I got home several hours later than I would have if I had used the full throttle of my running ability. Somehow I couldn't force myself to do it. I couldn't wait to see my wife, but what if they wanted me to leave? What if I was no longer welcome amongst them? _Alice._ I wanted to kiss her, and tell her I was sorry for what I had put her through. I wanted to stare into her eyes in one of our intimate moments. In those moments we disguised nothing. It was just Alice, Jasper and the truth. I just had to get to her, and everything will be alright.

I approached the house slowly. I didn't breathe, I didn't make a sound. It didn't matter-she knew I was there. She walked quietly out the front door and down the steps of the porch. She wasn't breathing either. She looked left and right slowly. She couldn't quite place where I was. I said her name softly. The word was no more than a midnight breeze through the branches of the trees above us. "Alice".

She heard it, and it was all the indication she needed to my whereabouts. Before another word had the chance to form on my lips, she was in my arms. We held onto each other tightly for an immeasurable amount of time. It was like that with Alice and I-a second and a decade could pass as the same increment of time for us…as long as we were together. I breathed her scent in and it felt like I was home. Alice was my home. I can't believe I had thought for one minute that she would forsake me. Then again who would ever think that Edward would forsake Bella…maybe I was jumping to conclusions…maybe she was just glad I was okay…maybe she had no intention of forgiving me…Edward said she did, but-

"Jasper…DON'T YOU EVER RUN AWAY FROM YOUR WIFE LIKE THAT AGAIN!!!! I WAS SICK WITH WORRY YOU INSENSITIVE JERK!!!!" She had pulled out of my arms and was slapping me in the arm repeatedly. Ouch…no one had ever called _me_ insensitive. Christ, I could feel _EVERY_ one of her emotions…

"I'M SORRY! ALICE…ALICE STOP!" I grabbed her arms and held them at her sides so that she couldn't move, and more importantly couldn't keep hitting me. The fury slowly eased from her gorgeous Topaz colored eyes and was replaced with the love I had grown so used to. I stared deeply into her-taking her into me. She stopped struggling, but I still held her firmly in place. She was lost then-her eyes focused entirely on mine and I could feel her body tremble as she started to see our vision. It was a strange phenomenon, isolated entirely to her and I. We had discovered during our fourth year together that if she stared into me with the same intensity as I did into her-she could trigger a vision of sorts. In these visions she saw only us and only eternity. She could actually see a physical representation for exactly how we felt about each other in that moment. My theory was that we had figured out a way to blend our powers together. She could _see _what I _felt_ and could project it to me. It was something very personal for us, and so we had never told anyone-not even Carlisle. I think the only reason we were able to keep it from Edward was because he figured we were just being lovey-dovey when we looked at each other this way and that whatever we were thinking about could not be anything he wanted to be privy to.

It was full blown now, the vision had her. She took deep trembling breaths and I could feel what her body was going through. It started at her toes as a slight tingling, then it intensified as it moved through her body. Sometimes it moved rapidly other times it was agonizingly slow…it felt amazing. Like if we didn't break eye contact we would both shatter into a million perfect pieces. She gasped softly and it sounded like a chorus of angels to me. I felt it get deeper then. The vision had her, and even though I couldn't see what was happening exactly I could feel every second of it. It…was…unbelievable…

"Jasper!" we were suddenly pulled back to the present reality by Esme's soft condescending voice. I suppose she had heard the yelling and when we didn't come right into the house she had grown impatient. "How could you put us through that worry?"

"Esme-I'm so very sorry." I realized I was still holding onto Alice for dear life, and slowly released my hold on her. I looked into the eyes of my sweet, caring adopted mother and felt her worry.

"I can't believe I acted that way. It was unforgivable…I understand if you don't want me to live here anymore…"

"You will not EVER suggest leaving this family again Jasper." Esme looked horrified as she spoke the words. I could feel the panic and anger surge inside of her.

"But…" I started to explain my ripple effect on our present situation.

"Jasper why don't you come inside and we can talk about it." Carlisle calmness infected me and I instantly moved toward the front door towing Alice behind me. He patted me reassuringly on the shoulder as I walked past him.

We settled in the living room. Carlisle softly called for Emmett and Rosalie to join us. As they walked into the room I dropped my gaze. I had viciously fought them as they tried desperately to keep me from killing Bella. They had tried to help me and I didn't deserve it.

"Stop with the whole poor, undeserving me feelings Jazz" Emmett was rolling his eyes when I looked up. His emotions were always right on his face. I didn't even need my talent…he wasn't the slightest bit angry with me.

"It's okay Jasper. I don't blame you for trying to _decapitate_ my husband and I. It was Edward's fault for bringing her here. She doesn't belong with us." Rosalie reassured me. I could feel something in her though…_resentment?_ What was that about?

"Enough." Carlisle stood up while we sat on the sofas. "Jasper-no one blames you. Not even Edward or Bella so please try to let go of your regret. It isn't helping anyone. Rose-stop being so dramatic. No one lost their heads or their mates tonight. And, by the way, since we are on the subject of mates-Bella most certainly _does_ belong with us. She belongs with Edward and therefore with all of us." I felt the pride surge in him and Esme over the strength and bond that existed within our family. I had had a very poor lapse in judgment, but that didn't matter. They still counted me as their son. I instantly felt at ease. I still felt horrible for the threat I had posed upon Bella, but at least I hadn't done irreparable damage to my family. "Jasper, please tell us your side."

"I lost it. I'm so sorry. All of a sudden everything faded into the background except for that drop of her blood-and then she fell and there was A LOT more blood and…I lost it. I never wanted to hurt her." I was filled with guilt again as I revisited the scene in my head. I had acted the savage. I was a monster. Her blood had smelled so good…

"We have all made mistakes before. And you weren't the only one affected Jasper." Esme was looking at her lap and speaking in the quietest voice possible…feeling _ASHAMED? _Why would Esme feel ashamed? "After you were safely outside I had to leave the room as well. I couldn't take the scent of her blood…" her eyes were pained and had she been capable of tears they would be flowing down her perfect cheeks.

"Esme, at least you left of your own volition. You were able to realize you were a danger to Bella and walk away. I had to be forcibly removed by Emmett and Rose." I moved fluidly to Esme's side and put my hand on her lower back, comforting her. As the calmness coursed into her body she looked up at me gratefully.

"We are all a danger to Bella everyday," Carlisle said solemnly "And we must be extra diligent to make sure we have fed properly and have taken all precautions for her safety when she is here from now on."

My heart dropped. Edward hadn't told them. They didn't know exactly how much of an effect this nights events were about to have on our lives. Or on Edward's. How was he going to survive? I was about to tell them, but was spared as Edward walked in. I felt him before I saw him. It was bad. It was hurricane season in Edward's emotional center.


	5. On Board

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own _Twilight _or any of its characters.

Thank you for reading-please take a minute and let me know what you think!

I now present…

Chapter 5-On Board

Edward stormed into the house like General Sherman on his march leaving a wake of fiery emotions behind him. He entered the room with purpose behind every step, but I could still feel his dread.

Esme was at his side in a flash, with a heartbreaking look on her face. "Edward we are all so very sorry, and we are going to make this up to Bella. We will make this right. Is she feeling okay?" I felt the shame and anguish she felt at hurting someone she counted as family.

Edward was silent. He was trying to muster conviction, and grasping for strength.

Finally he found it, "Bella will of course survive her birthday wounds. I am more concerned about next time"

I hung my head slightly, out of guilt and also out of knowledge. I knew what he was going to do. I had hoped that these last hours spent with her would have convinced him that he needed to stay with her. From the feelings coming off of him I surmised that this was not the case.

Carlisle was repeating his statement about us being more careful, "Edward we are going to be very diligent in the future to ensure Bella's safety." His eyebrows were raised. He knew Edward must have overheard our conversation even if he had been closed to our thoughts.

Edward looked in my eyes and I grabbed the opportunity. _Don't do it Edward. You love her. She is the one for you. This will NEVER happen again. We can just change her-_my thoughts were silenced by his furious look. The others, of course, took the look to mean that Edward had not forgiven me and all started talking at once. All except Alice. I saw her go rigid, and her eyes glazed over. The decision had been made.

He silenced them.

"I think it is time we left Forks." His voice was soft, but insistent. It got the desired effect. Everyone stopped speaking and their mouths dropped open.

"Edward, we can't just kidnap her." Carlisle looked wary. He was searching Edward's eyes. "Perhaps after graduation would be more prudent?"

"I meant _we_ meaning just us."

Alice was the quickest to answer "It won't work. She won't believe you."

"What? What is this Edward?" Esme looked frantic.

"I am going to convince Bella that our world and hers should not coexist."

"Edward-this is really unnecessary. Tonight's events are regrettable of course, but we will overcome them." Carlisle put his arm around Esme as she started to dry sob.

"This is what I need. I need to give Bella a normal life. It's what is _right_." He glanced at me.

He was referring to our talk in the woods, about selfishness and doing the right thing. This was just like him-taking it to the extreme. _That is NOT what I meant Edward!_ I held his gaze.

"What about what Bella thinks is right?" Alice was angry now. "You can't possibly believe that Bella is going to accept your little speech about how you love her too much to put her in danger. I've seen it Edward. She will not accept it."

"Then I will tell her whatever it takes. Please. We need to leave her alone. She has the chance that none of us had, and I can't risk her losing it."

"I think that might be the smartest thing you've ever said Edward" Rosalie's expression with unfathomable. I felt respect and love for Edward radiating from her.

Now that Rosalie was on board, so was Emmett. He wasn't as happy about it though. I knew Emmett liked Bella. "If this is really what you want Edward, I'm behind you." He stared Edward down.

"It doesn't matter what I want. It's what needs to be done. It's the best I can do for her."

"Edward, if you are really set on this course of action, we will all support your decision of course. Have you really considered the repercussions?" Carlisle increased his hold on the now hysterical Esme.

"All that matters is that she lives. I am prepared to do whatever is necessary to keep her alive. Constant vampire association is not conducive to that plan." He was so stubborn and pigheaded. If he would just change her she would never die and he would never have to leave-

He was glaring at me again. It was clear that if wished to continue my existence I would have to stop thinking about Bella becoming a vampire.

"When were you thinking of leaving?" Carlisle looked at Edward sadly, but with resignation. The bond between Edward and Carlisle was very strong. They had been together many, many years. Carlisle respected him too much too fight with him or deny him anything within reason. Edward was _usually _acting intelligently.

"I would like it to happen as soon as possible." The storm was raging at full force again. It had slightly subsided before, probably because deep down he was hoping we wouldn't let him do it. Now that the plans were in motion there was no turning back as far as he was concerned. Pigheaded. I shook my head.

"We have to go to school Edward. Let's talk more about this later." Alice was still trying to stall him. I smiled at her tenacity. She too was pigheaded sometimes, but this time she was One Hundred percent correct to fight him. She was possibly the only one of us who could get away with it too.

"Actually Alice, _I_ will be attending school alone. _You_ will be packing. I know how long it will take you to pack all those shoes, and I'm not waiting that long to leave Forks." He attempted a smile. She scowled at him, and whatever she was thinking was quickly shot down by him.

"No. I think this will be easier if it happens quickly. No long goodbyes, no _interfering _vampires trying to convince her to fight me on this. I will tell her the day after tomorrow. I want everybody gone by then."

Esme's sadness turned into anger, "Edward Cullen do you seriously think you will prevent us from saying goodbye to her? She is practically family…" her voice broke.

"That's exactly what I want. A clean break heals the fastest." He was almost wavering at the look on her face.

My Alice saw it. "Edward, you know there's an alternative. We can change Bella and…"

"NO ONE WILL BE MAKING BELLA IMMORTAL!!! IT IS _NOT_ AN OPTION!!!" he was livid.

"Edward, I saw Bella as one of us already…"

"NO NO NO!!! This is _not_ open for discussion. Stop looking for her future Alice. I mean it. The Cullen's are leaving Isabella Swan _alone_."

He looked around the room at each of us. Alice was still standing with her arms crossed tightly across her chest-seething with anger. Carlisle was till holding onto a devastated Esme-he was relatively calm though. Rosalie and Emmett were holding hands on the couch-she was gloating but he was truly upset. I sent out a wave of calmness and acceptance to everyone. I guess he was satisfied with our expressions and found nothing too offensive in our thoughts. He turned and walked out of the room and we heard his car roar to life a second later.

We sat in silence for a minute. Then slowly we drifted off to different sections of the house to pack. We could have done it all in less than an hour, but our hearts weren't in it.

Well, except for Rosalie. She had finished packing for Emmett and herself in minutes, despite the magnitude of her wardrobe.

Once in the sanctuary of our room, I looked at Alice. She knew what I was going to ask her of course.

"No." she shook her head confidently.

Edward was not doing the right thing.


	6. Trying

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or any of its characters.

Thank you for your continued interest. 

Chapter 6-Trying

Alice and I arrived at our new home with Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie and Emmett around 

five o'clock that evening. We were in upstate New York near Ithaca. We unpacked slowly, clinging to the hope that Edward wouldn't be able to go through with it. Alice said that Bella was going to fight him on it, maybe she was strong enough. I felt what was churning in my brother and honestly did not think he could handle it, but we were far away now. I could think clearly. I could feel Alice's disappointment. That was unacceptable. I had to make her feel better…oh God…I know what will make her feel better. I don't think I can do it…

After twenty minutes of being in our room with her constant gloom, I caved.

"Hey Alice, I don't suppose you realize how close we are to New York City. Isn't it Fashion Week or something?" I gulped. What had I done! Was I a glutton for punishment?

"No. It's not Fashion Week." She answered me quietly.

I waited for the frenzy. I would gladly take the frenzy over this shadow of my Alice. It didn't come. 

"Well, I was just thinking that we are on the East Coast now so we probably need whole new wardrobes right?" I was insane. I was taunting the frenzy, begging it to come out of that shell and bring my Alice out with it.

She finally met my eyes. "You are really trying, huh? We both know you don't want to go shopping for new wardrobes…even if you are right about us needing them." She smiled faintly. "Thank you for loving me so much. I just feel like all of this is wrong. It is not supposed to be this way. For either of them. We all remember what Edward was like before he met Bella. Do we want to see that…times a million? And what about Bella? I think that after all this time he doesn't realize how deep in she is. She may never get over this. She might do something stupid, or get hurt just because she's Bella. Someone like Bella needs us." She was ranting, her hands clutched into fists.

I took a deep breath and sent a wave of serenity to her. "We can't interfere Alice. It is their life and their situation to work out. Do you see what will happen?"

She stood very still and searched for it. Her eyes glazed over and she shook slightly. I was alarmed. Why was she shaking? I grabbed her arms and sat her on our couch. An instant later she was back with a horrified look on her face.

"We have to call Edward. I see her lying in the woods! She is just staring blankly…" She looked panicked. 

I grabbed the phone from my pocket and handed it to her. She had only told Edward the first part when I could hear his screaming. "ALICE, LEAVE HER FUTURE ALONE! I MEAN IT!" he hung up on her. What an asshole he could be sometimes.

"Alice, you know he won't ignore you. He will make sure she's safe before he leaves."

"I know." Her pain was killing me. I had to get her to think about something else.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. I took several deep breaths and tried to build a feeling of excitement. It was hard, because I was upset about everything too. For Alice I could. I thought of her on our wedding day, I thought of us playing baseball and laughing, I thought about the time we were in Paris and she met Harry Winston, and about how she felt when Harry Winston sold me that Diamond necklace that was one of a kind, I pictured her party face-the one that scared the Hell out of me-and smiled. I felt a bubble of happiness growing-not just regular happiness, but _Alice's_ happiness. When it had reached its full growth and I was about to explode with it I grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes. She gasped and I saw a flicker of my radiant pixie return.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the city?" I looked deeper into her.

"Don't be silly Jasper. Of course we are going. Hello? New wardrobe, East Coast? Ring a bell?" then an evil look popped up in her eyes. She smiled and my heart skipped. "Actually we were going the whole time, but I wanted you to get excited about it so I wouldn't have to actually drag you around this time. You get cumbersome after thirty boutiques or so."

I blinked. _Wow_. She was more frightening than I ever gave her credit for. What have I done? 

Five minutes later we were dressed to the nines, courtesy of my now frenzied wife and in Carlisle's Mercedes on our way to New York. I tried not to think about the shopping part and only focused on the fact that Alice seemed to be in a better mood. It was nice just sitting there with her in our comfortable silence.

I fell naturally into our normal shopping routine. She rushed maniacally through boutiques while I watched from a safe distance. I liked my place off to the side, where I was safe from Alice's clothes hurricane, but I could still watch over her to make sure she was okay. I knew Alice didn't like me to be so overprotective, but it was just in my nature. Being raised a southerner, I was raised to respect and look after women. Though much of my human life was blurry now, that was one trait I had retained. It was unfortunately trait that rendered me useless when Alice started using me as a clothes rack. I took it good naturedly, for the most part. I carried the clothes around the stores and held on to the bags for her. I let her lead me around and dress me in various outfits, only refusing when they were especially abnormal-or _high_ _fashion_ as she liked to call them. After several hours we were on our way back home and I was buried in a mountain of boxes and bags. A luxury sedan is way too small to go shopping in with Alice. Maybe we should buy a moving van…

I looked over at her, stretching out with my feelings to see what was going on with her emotions. There was the calm feeling that came with shopping, the excitement over her new wardrobe and…sadness. I guess the shopping spree wasn't enough to rid Alice of her hurt over losing her friend-and potential future sister. Of course if it had been enough, she wouldn't be the warm-hearted loving person she is. The car ride was filled with silence again, but this time it was a loud silence. We both knew that Edward would have reached the new house by now. Alice had seen a vision of him sitting at his piano, and in the vision he did not look good.


	7. Mute

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I don't own the rights to _Twilight_, its characters or its brilliance.

Thank you to all who read and enjoy this story! Please review-feedback is sooo helpful! What do you guys like about it? What do you hate?

Chapter 7-Mute

The minute Alice parked the car in front of our new home I felt it. It was chaos. I could not decipher the feelings from one person to the other. The house was riddled with emotion. I tensed and she saw it immediately.

"I know Jazz. It is going to be rough in there. Can you handle it?"

"Can't you already see how I'll react?" I smiled wryly. I knew she could, and the fact that she even asked could not possibly bode well. Apparently I was about to lose it. I hated when I knew the storm was coming. It almost seemed easier to just let it take me by surprise. Unfortunately, being married to a psychic left something to be desired as far as surprises went. I was used to this sort of apprehension. I took a slow, cleansing, unnecessary breath before I opened the car door. I started gathering Alice's various bags and boxes to stall for time. She was at my side in an instant, sensing that this was difficult for me. 

"Edward really needs us, but is going to fight our help. He will not want us to disturb his wallowing. We have to bring him out of it though, or it will affect everyone." She was looking at me intently.

"What do you mean?" I asked warily.

"I just mean that Edward will want very much to be left alone to suffer, and that we mustn't allow it."

I was still unsure what exactly she meant by wallowing. Edward had always been fairly private. I couldn't imagine that his feelings would be overly apparent to anyone except me-and that was unavoidable. Edward never wore his heart on his sleeve…or did he? With every step closer to the front door I felt the waves of emotion gaining strength. They were fierce and painful. I reached cautiously for the handle and turned it. 

I was suddenly pummeled by insanity. The waves raked over me mercilessly. I was almost brought to my knees by the sheer force of it. I would have been if my angel Alice had not been holding onto my arm. He was right there in front of everyone, sitting at his piano. He was not playing though-in fact he was just staring listlessly into space. This scared me. He was making no obvious facial expression that divulged the pain he was in-in fact I would have thought he was fine, bored even. Except he wasn't, I could feel the way his misery ravaged at him. He didn't even seem to notice. The pain was secondary to something else for him. _Love_. He loved her so much! Oh my God! How was he just sitting there like this? He loved her and he knew it, the idiot! He loved her, he knew it and still he was sitting here staring into space letting the pain have him-and subsequently me too!

Something else hit me-regret, horror, guilt…it was Esme. She was in the kitchen and she was not happy with her first son's predicament. My heart ached for her, and for Edward for her. I wanted Edward to relieve this pain too! He had the power-he just had to go back to Bella!

"Edward this is…" I didn't know what to say. It wasn't my place to tell him what to do. This was my fault wasn't it? Wait are those my real feelings or is someone else projecting that? My brain was in overdrive when Carlisle walked through the door. He looked at me and knew I was on the edge. 

"Jasper, Alice why don't you both go upstairs for awhile and relax? I'm sure you have lots of new clothes to put away." He suggested smoothly. He was right and I knew it, but something was making me hesitant to move. I had no luster for life or breathing or…

Oh. It was Edward feeling that way. I felt myself being led away by Alice, but didn't really notice the change in scenery as we entered our room. In short it was the worst ten minutes of my existence. Edward had been stewing in those feelings for hours, and I barley lasted ten minutes. I started to see reason then, now that I wasn't in his immediate line of emotional fire.

"Oh my God Alice. He isn't going to survive." I looked at her in horror. "I have never felt anything like that. He has no intention of moving from that spot. He is losing his mind!"

"I know." She said quietly. She had cracked the door and was listening to what was happening downstairs, while watching me carefully to make sure no extra emotions leaked up and through the door to torture me. 

"Edward please." Esme was begging him to talk to her, but he sat silently. Her body was raked with emotion that could not be shed in the form of tears.

This went on for days. It went on for weeks. The mood of the house darkened more and more with the color of Edward's eyes as he sat immobile, refusing to speak or to hunt. At first everyone tried really hard to break him out of his stupor. Esme sat and talked to him for hours about nonsense, just letting him hear her voice. She tried getting him to at least play the piano that was his haven. He continued to stare. Rosalie mocked him. She called him every name in the book and even slapped his face, but he never flinched. Emmett tried to get him to go hunting every single day. He even brought home a live rabbit and dropped it on the piano keys in front of Edward. I thought that would deal with the situation one way or the other-either Edward would break down and ravage the rabbit or Esme would ravage him(and Emmett) for having a live animal in her living room. He didn't even blink. Esme didn't even blink. I think she would have let Edward bleed an entire city dry in her living room just to see him move. She might have even helped him do it, "vegetarian" or not. And through every minute of those weeks the pain he felt never once wavered. It never once let up on him. I spent much of my time outside because I couldn't take it. Other than me, Carlisle was the only one who left Edward alone. 

I was sitting outside, again, when Carlisle approached me. "How are you feeling today Jasper?" he asked politely.

"I miss Bella still, but I'm just going to sit here." I said sarcastically with a sad smile. He understood what I meant.

"I can't imagine how hard this is for him" 

"He is being a stubborn ass. He is hurting, we are hurting, Bella is hurting. He has the power to fix it all and he is just sitting there. I didn't even know vampires could get catatonic, or go crazy." 

"For the record, you don't know that Bella is hurting Jasper." I gave him a disbelieving look. "That is, however, beside the point. I felt very strongly that I shouldn't interfere in Edward's decision on this matter, but it's possible that I was mistaken. I didn't think we could go crazy either…" he trailed off, his forehead creased with worry. "Our kind are so set in life and resolve, that if he does have a mental break I'm not sure he'll recover."

"_IF_ he has a mental break? Carlisle, he has no purpose left. I feel it. There is no passion for life left in him, and if he doesn't find something to live for soon he will find a way to die." I wasn't trying to be dramatic. I was serious. Or maybe Edward's morose moods had finally started to wear down my thought process.

Either way it didn't matter, because my words affected Carlisle. He stood up slowly and walked into the house. I followed, I was going to help as much as possible. Esme and Alice were sitting on the couch together, not really talking-just keeping Edward company. I sat down next to Alice and put my arm around her as I, for the millionth time in the past few weeks tried to send calming, serene feelings toward Edward. Carlisle sat down next to him on the piano bench. Instead of looking at him he kept his face forward-almost looking as though he too were staring into space. He didn't say a word-at least not one that we could hear. Whatever he was thinking was enough. For the first time in fifty three days Edward closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He shuttered slightly. I redoubled my efforts, refusing to fall under his waves of pain. I would stand strong and fill him with whatever he needed. Esme and Alice hadn't moved-I think they were afraid that it was a false alarm and that he would go right back to staring. Apparently Carlisle's split decision to get involved had taken even Alice by surprise. He opened his eyes again, and they looked focused now. He actually was seeing the room around him. He looked Carlisle straight in the eyes and nodded slightly.

Alice gasped, she saw it the minute he decided. "Go." She said to him quietly. 

He stood up, kissed Esme's cheek and then he was gone.

I was confused. What the Hell had just happened? I looked at Alice.

"He went hunting, but not for food."


	8. Diversions

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight _or any of its characters.

Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think!

Chapter 8-Diversions

Edward didn't come back. He called now and then but we hadn't seen his face in weeks. I worried about the tenor of emptiness in his voice when he called, but he assured me that he had important things to occupy himself with and that he was fine. He had taken Carlisle's advice and thrown himself into something…well at least I think that's what Carlisle told him. The exact nature of that silent conversation had never been divulged to us. Edward _was_ throwing himself into something though, so I assumed that was part of it.

Right now my brother was hunting Victoria. He had been following her scent south for a while, but according to his last call the "trail was complex". In Edward language that meant he had no idea what the Hell he was doing. The idiot probably had every book he could find on tracking-his way is always the studious route-but that kind of knowledge can't be found in books. I shook my head as I remembered the conversation with annoyance.

"Edward, maybe I should meet you and give you some help."

"I have everything under control."

"I am sure you do, but I may be able to help. My military training taught me a lot in terms of finding the enemy. It also taught me a lot about disposing of them quickly and quietly. We all know your anger will get in the way of your common sense if you find her. If you lose your temper, or forget yourself you risk exposing our kind. Tell me where you are and I'll meet you."

"I have everything under control." His voice was sharper this time. He was such a stubborn asshole. I tried again.

"Edward, I'm from the South. My knowledge of the playing field could really be an advantage. There are a lot more hours of sunlight in a day down there, and I can help you navigate beneath the cities. We would be able to track her 24/7."

"Jasper, I have the situation under control. Thank you for wanting to assist, but I intend to stalk down that vicious red-headed devil and make her wish she had died with her humanity all by myself. I will make her suffer and scream for every extra minute she hides from me." His voice was dark, almost a growl.

"I thought we decided she was no longer a threat. Why are you even doing this?"

"I don't believe she is a threat to the Cullens. However I intend to dispose of her anyway for her part in what James did to _Her_ last Spring." Interesting. Apparently he couldn't even say Bella's name anymore. And everything was fine was it?

"Her?" I had to call him out on it. I cared about him and this was not healthy. I knew better than anyone what happened to people who repressed their feelings.

"You know who I mean. I can't…it just…I have to go Jazz." He hung up. Asshole. 

Well, it seemed that Edward was going to accept no help from us on his little "mission". I wondered again about right and wrong. I grimaced because thinking about that is what started this whole mess. If Edward hadn't thought that leaving Bella, oh I mean _Her,_ was the right thing to do …Was it the right thing? Look what it was doing. To him, to our family…and I can't imagine that _She_ was happy about it either. What is right?

I wandered into the room I shared with Alice and found her knee deep in old newspapers. She had been completely absorbed in her research of her human life ever since Edward had left. I guess, like him, she had needed a diversion. Her endless hours of searching had been only vaguely enlightening. I think she had been hoping that she would spark some sort of memory by seeing familiar names and faces, but that didn't seem to be working. She looked up as I came in and smiled.

"I told you he wasn't going to go for it." She _had _told me I was a fool to think Edward was going to let me involve myself.

"I just don't buy it Alice. I can't believe he is still on her trail. Edward is not a tracker and that trail that he started with was weeks old because he waited so long to start."

"It doesn't matter if he is or isn't. It's just a distraction. Something to make him feel like he is still protecting her." _Her? _Not Alice too. Could no one in this house besides me say the name Bella without flinching?

"That may be true Alice, but we both know how obsessive Edward is, if someone doesn't either help him find Victoria or convince him this is a lost cause it could go on forever."

"I know love, but at least he is off the piano bench." She smiled and put her tiny arms around me. She looked thoughtful…that can't be good. _Please_ _not_ _shopping_, I thought.

"Jazz, maybe it's time you found something to distract yourself with too. Rose and Emmett are traveling, Esme's restoring the house, Carlisle has his work, Edward has his vengeance to keep him occupied, and I'm researching my roots, but you seem discontented." 

"I guess I am a little. I was really hoping that Edward would accept my help on the hunt." I was surprised at this turn of the conversation, but at least it wasn't shopping.

"That's his mission, not yours. What do you want to do?" She was right. I thought about it for a few minutes. What had been plaguing me? What could distract me from the strange disconnected feelings in our house? 

"I think I may do college again." I said it slowly, realizing my desire.

She was surprised. "What! I can't believe this is the first I'm hearing this!"

"I just realized, this minute that I wanted to. I'm sure there's something I haven't majored in." I said it lightly, but that was ruse. I knew exactly what I wanted to study. Philosophy. I needed more perspective on the right and wrong concept. It would be _my_ distraction.


	9. Visions

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

Thank you for reading and for your reviews-it means a lot to me!

Chapter 9-Visions

We went on like that for awhile, each of us absorbed in our personal endeavors. I was used to the lifelessness of our house now. I was deep into Plato's Republic, when I felt the shift. It was Alice. I flew from the living room to our bedroom in seconds. She was on her knees on the floor.

"Alice! Alice, look at me!" I begged her. She was shaking and her eyes stayed glazed. She was having a vision. It went on much longer than usual. When Alice looked for the future she had total control over the length of time she would watch, but when they came unsolicited they were usually fairly short. I couldn't imagine she had done this to herself or she would have more control. Why was it not stopping! It looked like she was having a seizure. I held her tightly in my arms and called for Carlisle.

"What happened?" He stopped in the doorway, seeing my panic he took a deep breath to calm his emotions before he stepped over the threshold. He felt calm to me as he sat on Alice's other side. We laid her flat and she shook violently for another minute before she started to come out of it.

"What happened love?" I was trying to stay calm so I wouldn't project anything onto her. 

"Jasper. Something isn't right. They are visions but I can't see anything. It's like a whole lifetime is erased!" She looked too worried for this to be random.

"What lifetime Alice?" Carlisle asked her slowly. I felt his concern for her increase. 

"Bella's." She said it so softly I almost missed it.

"What do you mean it disappeared Alice? How would that happen?" I didn't understand. Some random vision of _nothing_ about Bella just came to her with this ferocity? I was staring into her eyes, lost almost, or I wouldn't have taken so long to catch on. Carlisle was quick though.

"Alice what exactly did you see happen to her future when you looked for her?" He asked her intently.

"That's just it Carlisle, I looked for it and there was…nothing. No Bella, no events leading to a disappearance or a death or anything. Just complete blankness. I searched harder for it…but I felt lost almost like I couldn't get out of a maze of nothingness. What do you think it means?" She looked horrified and I could feel her terror. She relied so heavily on her sight that the idea of it slipping away or becoming faulty was one of her biggest fears.

"Can you still see other things Alice? Try looking for mine or Jasper's future." He was still maintaining his calm aura-but I think that was only out of practice because he looked very unsettled.

Her eyes glazed over again, and I got ready to grab onto her if she started shaking again. Before I blinked she was lucid again, and able to describe in great detail the weather for the next week, the outcome of my thesis paper that I hadn't started yet and where specifically Rosalie and Emmett were at that minute. She looked at Carlisle and told him not to wear his good shoes tomorrow, an orderly at the hospital would spill his mop water on them.

"Well, I guess it's safe to say that it's not your vision that's the problem." He said it with a smile, but I felt his agitation. "Alice try to look for her again, but if it's blank come out of it-don't let the vision pull you too far in."

She took a breath and her eyes glazed over again. I waited for something, anything. It was taking too long again. I slipped my hand into hers and she came back to us.

"Nothing…" She was miserable now. She was relieved about her vision, but knew that could only mean one thing. Something was impeding on Bella's future. "We have to tell him." 

"He isn't going to be very receptive about that. Perhaps we should wait…" Carlisle answered before I could. He said the same thing I would have though. Edward would likely bite the arm off of anyone who dared remind him of her. He would likely kill them if they were going to insinuate that something was wrong in Forks.

"Wait for what? He hasn't called in weeks and he hasn't been home for months. What if she's in trouble or if she needs us?" Alice was getting that look on her face. The stubborn one that told me she had already decided that we _were_ going to tell him immediately. I cursed under my breath. She took that to mean I was behind her and whipped out her cell phone before Carlisle could talk her out of it. He picked up on the second ring.

"Hello Alice." He said in the creepy monotone voice he had acquired. All the music of his voice was gone, left in Forks with his heart and his sanity.

"Edward, I had the strangest vision. I think something is wrong with Bella—"

"Stop. Whatever it is, she will work it out. We are not going to continue to mess up her chances at having a normal life."

"But Edward, I think she may be in danger-I was looking for her future and—"

"STOP! She is fine. We left to ensure her life will be nice and calm. She promised to stay out of trouble, and I believe she will keep that promise. Stop looking for her future Alice, we've done enough damage." He apparently had nothing else to say because he hung up on her without saying goodbye. I let out a low growl. I hated when anyone was rude to Alice. She was a lady…and she was _my _lady. I added the rudeness to the list of things I was going to beat the crap out of him for, when and if he ever decided to grace us with his presence again. Alice did not look pleased by the outcome of her little intervention. I think she was thinking the same thing I was…Edward needed a good slap.

"Well, it's still his decision to make so, I guess that settles that." Carlisle was shaking his head slightly as he stood up and walked out. I felt the trail of regret behind him. He was probably thinking he needed a slap too-but he knew Esme would kill him if he ever did.

"Well my love, what now?" I looked at my furious wife. Her expression softened when she caught my gaze.

"I don't know Jasper." She whispered. I felt her helplessness and it made me sad. Nothing brought me down like Alice being unhappy. I had to ease her tension.

I put my arms around her and held her tightly. I envisioned strength pouring into her through my palms. I held her tighter to me, and pictured serenity and happiness emulating from every inch of my chest that was now pressed firmly against hers. I could practically see the love moving from my silent heart to hers through our bodies, through our clothes, through each other. 

She tilted her face up to mine and pressed her lips to mine. I had an idea about how to ease her tension.


	10. Detour

**Path Of the Empath**

**The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to **_**Twilight**_** or to any of its characters.**

**Thank you for reading and for your reviews-it is so encouraging to know that people like my work.**

Chapter 10-Detour

Three days later I was playing video games on the living room floor with Emmett, who had just gotten back from Europe with Rosalie the night before, when Alice called me from upstairs. _Damn_. I couldn't stop playing right now or my guy was going to die and I would owe Emmett Twenty bucks. I pretended I couldn't hear her since I didn't feel anything coming from our room to signify that it was a dire emergency or anything.

That lasted about forty seconds before she was standing in front of the T.V. 

"Jasper I need to talk to you." Her hands were on her hips and she felt…annoyed. _Damn._

"Alice, can you just move to the side like an inch so I can kill Jasper's guy?" Emmett was smirking. She glared at him and didn't move an inch. It appeared from the look on her face and her feelings that unless I wanted to get carried upstairs by my tiny wife I had better get up of my own accord. Emmett wouldn't let me live that one down. I sighed and handed him a Twenty as I got up.

"Don't spend that Emmett; I'll be winning it back from you later." I sent a little wave of fear at him, just to mess with him, as I walked up the stairs. His eyes gaped wide for a second before he realized what I'd done. Then he grinned and shook his head, as he picked his controller back up.

When we entered our room she spun and looked me dead in the eyes. _Wow._ Her beauty still awed me every single day. I can't believe I was going to stay downstairs playing video games with Emmett instead of being alone with this gorgeous angel. I reached for her hands and drew her closer to me. I held her gaze as I leaned in slowly to kiss her mouth. She kissed me back, sighing sweetly into my mouth. Then she pulled away with a look of absolute regret on her face. I knew exactly why from the feelings of sexual tension rolling off of her. I was confused. What was she up to?

"Jasper, I think I need to get away for a few days."

"Okay love, I'll take you wherever you like." I tried to kiss her again, smiling to myself at the double meaning in my words.

"Actually Jazz, I was thinking of going myself. To shop on Rodeo Drive." She kissed me lightly before pulling back to see my reaction.

Something was off…I couldn't quite place it though. "You are going to go shopping alone?" This was not like her, usually someone had to go along with her and suffer…

"Well, I just saw this new designer online and she only has a boutique in California. I'm dying to check it out-I have to have something from her before anyone else." She pouted prettily. Something was definitely off. Alice never acted like this with me. I was about to call her out on it, when she pressed her lips against mine with urgency. _Oh My God._ She tasted like heaven. She was trying to distract me and I knew it, but I trusted her so I played along. She would tell me in her own good time. 

"When are you planning to leave?" I whispered against her lips.

"In an hour." She smiled and it was as though the sunshine had burst into our room. The only way I knew it hadn't, was because of the lack of sparkles on our skin. I stood immobile for a minute, thoroughly dazzled by her. I shook my head to clear it. _She seems to feel so determined…what is going on with her? If she's shopping why don't I feel the frenzy? _

"Alice, what's going on?" I hadn't wanted to ask her. I _did_ trust her, and I wanted her to know that, but this wasn't like her.

"What do you mean? The boutique opens tomorrow and I want to be there when it does. If I leave now, when I get there will be a thunderstorm going on in L.A. Then I will be able to start shopping right away instead of waiting for nighttime." Her story was good. Maybe I was reading too much into it. Maybe I should just be glad I didn't have to go shopping in California…

"Did you want to go? I just figured you didn't, but—"

"No, no-go have fun love. I will miss you every second though." I kissed her quickly, thanking my lucky stars that I had just dodged that bullet. "Are you flying?"

"No I think I'll ask Carlisle if I can take his Mercedes. The tinted windows will come in handy during the day" She answered quickly.

Strange? Yes. But the idiot that I am I let it go. Whatever she was hiding must be important to her, because she never kept anything from me. That was only reason I was still indulging this little façade of hers. If it was important to Alice, it was important to me. 

"I'll be back in a few days. I love you." And then she was gone. 

I fought with myself for a minute. I should stop her and demand to know what the Hell she was up to. The protective, jealous southerner in me was screaming that I should. I let her go. I respected her too much to spy on her. Besides, Alice was never good with secrets. I knew it was only a matter of time before she fessed up to whatever had her fleeing across the country right now.

I was right. Exactly thirty hours later my phone rang. Surprise, surprise it was my wife. I smiled as I answered, "Do you miss me already?"

"JASPER, WHERE IS CARLISLE? OH MY GOD, I CAN'T BELIEVE WE LEFT HER ALONE!" She was hysterical. She was panicked and even though she was too far away for me to actually feel her panic, I did anyway out of habit.

"What is it Alice? What's the matter?"

Rosalie and Emmett heard the terror in my voice and came to listen.

"Jasper, I saw Bella commit suicide! I saw her jump off of a cliff!"

"What? Alice what are you talking about? I thought you couldn't see her anymore?"

"I thought that maybe if I got closer, I could pick up on her. I got to Denali and at first I still couldn't see but all of a sudden it just came to me-she jumped Jasper!"

Rosalie, Emmett and I stared at the phone in horror. "Alice, I'm going to try and find Carlisle-don't do anything crazy. I will call you right back—'

"Jasper I'm so sorry I lied to you! I had to do something though! Edward was being so stubborn—"

"It's okay Alice, we'll talk about it later-I'm not mad love."

"I'm going to Forks right now." She admitted.

"Will you make it in time?" I said it quietly but Rose and Emmett could still hear everything.

"Probably not, but I can't just sit here. And maybe I can do something for Charlie. How could she do this to him? To US?" She sounded inconsolable.

"Alice calm down, love, you won't be any good to Charlie like this. I have to hang up and call Carlisle-will you be okay?"

"Yes. I'll call as soon as I know something." She hung up.

I spoke quickly to Carlisle, giving him the gist of the situation. He promised to come home as quickly as possible.

"We should call Edward too." Rosalie spoke for the first time since Alice called.

"Are you insane Rose?" I looked at her incredulously. 

"He would want to know."

"He absolutely would NOT want to know. Number one-he told us to stay the Hell out of her future; number two-he will go off the deep end again." Emmett said in his booming voice.

"Again? Who said he ever came back from the deep end? Emmett's right Rose, we can't tell him about this. He can't handle it." I said quietly.

"You are both fooling yourselves. Whatever he said-he absolutely wants to know what is going on with her. Besides, if he knows she is dead then it will give him closure and he can come home."

"Rosalie, do not pick up that damn phone." I was annoyed because I could feel how excited she was to tell him. She found some sort of happiness in the idea. 

We had to work on her for awhile, but eventually she agreed to wait to tell him until we had more information for him. He was definitely going to want some answers.


	11. Waiting

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

Thank you for reading and for reviewing-it means the world to me!

Chapter 11-Waiting

I paced. I walked back and forth endlessly. In fact I felt like Edward. I had on multiple occasions made fun of his silly, impatient habit-but today I understood the need. If Alice was in Denali, how long before she got to Forks and called with some damn answers? When was I going to get to address the fact that my wife had even gone to Denali under the guise of shopping? Why had she felt the need to lie-no that wasn't important. Bella. Bella was the most important issue right now. What the Hell were we going to tell Edward? _ Hey, Edward! How've you been? We have totally missed you since you exiled yourself from our family. By the way, do you remember that girl that gave your existence a purpose-well, she is dead. Yeah, I know you told us to mind our own damn business-but we decided to stalk visions of her future anyway. Sorry. Are you going to move back home now?_ That sounded great. Very conducive to his sanity. I paced some more. 

Emmett was sitting in the living room watching me pace for a several hours before he left the room, claiming I was making him dizzy. I heard him go upstairs to check on Rosalie. That was another thing. What was her deal? I knew she didn't feel all warm and fuzzy about Bella, or anyone for that matter. But to actually anticipate the fallout that would accompany her death? Honestly I didn't think he would last this long. He has been beyond the realm of depressed for months. The only thing that kept him alive was knowing he was doing the "right" thing for her. If she died, though, he would have no more purpose. I had seen all too well what happens to our kind when they are done existing. 

A suicidal vampire is rare, but not unheard of. In my other life-my life of bloodshed and killing I had seen it. Most of the time vampires that were created for war were destroyed after they outlived their usefulness, but once in awhile one survived long enough to be affected by our life. Much like what happens to human war veterans, our kind can be affected by war. After years and decades of fighting for survival in a war they didn't really understand, sometimes they went crazy. Before Viktor, I never considered the possibility of a suicidal vampire. 

Viktor was created by my companion Maria around the same time she created me. We fought together for awhile, no one was really friends then-but as far as we could be, we were friends. He hated this life from the second his heart ceased its beating. He knew he was a doomed soul, and that there was no redemption to be found for him. Being a devout Christian before his change probably intensified that part of his depression. He honestly felt that he had lost eternity in paradise with God, to an eternity of life as a bloodthirsty devil. I often tried to lighten his constant sadness and anger with my talent. I could never sustain happiness for him for long though, probably because I was still fairly new to this life myself. To this day I still felt remorse that I hadn't mastered my talent quickly enough to help Viktor. It was silly of course. Intellectually I knew there was nothing I could have done. 

We had just won a major battle in Mexico, and gained control over much of the country. We were well fed, high on our power and superiority and unstoppable. Much like myself, Viktor did not share in the glory. Maybe that is what connected us. We became comrades out of a common hatred for the life we were pushed into. He dealt with his feeling much differently than I however. I felt his emotions-he was dead inside, yet he lived on. He had no purpose in this existence and since he believed he was thoroughly damned he saw no reason to continue on his path. Maybe if he thought there was a chance at redemption and heaven, he would have kept living-to regain his worthiness. One day he couldn't take the emptiness anymore and he begged us to kill him. He had already tried it himself, but you can only tear so many of your own limbs off. He was broken inside and out when he asked us to finish the job for him. I couldn't bear to do it, but there was no loyalty amongst us and he quickly found someone who was bored enough that night to do it. I sent him one last wave of emotion as he died-a wave of what I thought redemption felt like. I hope he felt it, because I will never forget what his emotions felt like that day. 

Edward's feelings felt too much like Viktor's for my comfort. He was depressed, he thought he had no soul and no shot at heaven. If he didn't have Bella…

No. I couldn't think that way. He had lived for almost a century without ever considering suicide, and without Bella. He had our family, and we were strong. He wouldn't do that to Esme. I don't think he would...

The pacing continued. Still no phone call. Maybe I should get on a plane. I couldn't stand being away from Alice for this long anyway. I could fly into Seattle and have her pick me up on her way to Forks. 

No. What if I did that and it caused her to be too late to stop Bella? We had to make sure she was okay. That was more important than my impatience.

What were we going to do if we _did_ save her? Bring her here and wait for Edward to show up? Tell him what happened and that she couldn't be trusted to survive without him? Change her? He would kill each and every one of us. 

What were we going to do if we didn't save her? Wait for Edward to stop by? Call him? Pretend we didn't know? He would pull it out of one of our minds eventually. We couldn't spend the rest of eternity reciting poems or translating foreign languages. He was going to find out. _And it would be like Viktor._

NO. That will not happen. We would never agree to help him. Even if he wanted to try and find other vampires, I was fairly sure that our family would be able to take down any threat. We were, after all, an uncharacteristically large coven. The six of us could shred any vampire who agreed to help my stupid, stubborn, lovesick brother try to kill himself. 

No. Don't think like that. It is immaterial, because Alice is going to find Bella before anything happens. We will fix this. 

Edward probably wouldn't call for a few more days…_It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight…_

Oh shit. The Rocky theme song. That was Emmett's cell phone ringtone. _Maybe it isn't Edward…_

"Hey Edward! What's up brother?" Emmett sounded nervous, as he answered. Oh shit. I raced up the stairs. Maybe Edward was too self absorbed to notice Emmett's strange behavior.

"What's going on Emmett?" I heard his voice through the receiver. Oh shit.

"Nothing's going on." Good save Emmett, you idiot. I send a wave of relaxation toward him in an attempt to calm his voice and keep him from saying anything suspicious. It did relax him. He started to ramble to Edward a little, but it seemed to throw him off track. Rosalie was watching him intently. Her eyes grew darker every time she heard Edward's empty monotone voice. I felt her exasperation growing by the second. It was growing exponentially with every stupid comment Emmett made. Finally she snapped. She grabbed the phone from Emmett, and before we could stop her she was spilling the whole story about the vision of Bella's death.

"Edward, you sound like shit. It's time to start living again though because there is nothing you can do anymore. Yesterday Alice had a vision of Bella jumping off a cliff-you know to kill herself. So you see, you don't have to worry about her anymore. It's all over and you can move on. You should come home right away and go hunting with—"

He hung up on her. He didn't say one word. Emmett and I snapped to life at the same time. I grabbed the phone and he grabbed her arms. 

"Rose, what the Hell was that?" I yelled at her.

"What?" She looked defensive. "He needed to let this situation go-especially if he's not going to be with her. Now he can let it go and get on with his life." She pulled her arms out of Emmett's hands angrily and folded them across her chest. 

"Rosalie what makes you think he's going to just let this go? What makes you think he is going to live his life? What? All the wondrous progress he's made without her?" I bit out sarcastically.

"You are over-reacting Jasper. I have known Edward longer than you, and he will get over this and go back to the way things were." She said stubbornly.

I glared at her and hit redial. I had to talk to Edward. I had to tell him…something. It rang and rang. He was ignoring me. I left a message and then called right back again. Then again, and again after that. Then someone answered. It wasn't Edward though. It was someone with a distinct Spanish accent. It was different than the Spanish I had picked up during my time in Mexico-but I got the gist. The person had found the phone in a garbage can. In Rio. 


	12. The Plan

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath **

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or any of its characters.

Much thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing! You guys are wonderful.

Chapter 12-The Plan

As I was talking to the Spanish tourist who had retrieved Edward's phone, Rosalie's cell started ringing. It was Alice. Finally!

"Rose, I need to talk to Carlisle _now." _She sounded frantic. My breath caught in my throat as I hung up on the man in Rio. What had happened? Was she too late?

"He's not here Alice." Rose said, startled. Oh, now she was starting to see the severity of the situation?

"Fine, as soon as he's back." She said quickly.

"Do you want me to call him?" Rose's eyes grew wider at Alice's tone.

"No, I'll be on a plane. Look, have you heard anything from Edward?"

"Yeah, he just called…" She trailed off.

"Alice she told him!" I called from where I was standing. I knew if she was calling, frantically for Carlisle, it meant she had had a vision, and to understand it she needed to know everything. "He was in Rio, but he ditched his phone and now we can't get in touch with him!"

"Why?" I heard her gasp through the phone, "Why would you do that Rosalie?"

"Because he has a right to know that she is dead so he can get on with his life. Now he will start living again!" Rose snapped.

"Well, you're wrong on both counts, though, Rosalie, so that would be a problem, don't you think?" Alice growled at her.

"You mean she isn't dead?"

"Yes, that's right. She's absolutely fine—"

"But you saw—"

"I was wrong—"

"Then why would you see her jumping—"

"It's a long story—"

"So everything's fine then." Rose said, feeling relieved.

"You're wrong about that part too, that's why I'm calling—"

"You don't mean he'd try to—" Rosalie's eyes widened in horror.

"Yes, that's exactly what I saw."

"OH MY GOD! I never meant…I didn't think he would…I'm sorry, I thought—"

"It's a bit late for that Rose. Save your remorse for someone who believes it." Alice bit out and the line went dead.

In the past two minutes a massive amount of emotion had passed through the room. There was shock, smugness, confusion, anger, hurt, terror…I was a mess inside, but I had to get it together and figure out what was going on.

"Rose, she said Bella's alive. That means there's no reason for Edward to do anything drastic. Besides, what would he do? Tear his own legs off?" I tried to lighten the tone.

"The Volturi." She looked in my eyes.

"What?" I was taken aback.

"Edward will go to Italy and ask for death." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"How do you know that?" I had never even contemplated the idea. Where would he come up with that?

"We talked about it once. With Carlisle. We were, well _I, _was curious about the Vampire Royals. I knew Carlisle was once friendly with them, and tried to get him to bring us there to meet them. That's when he told us their story. Their history is long and bloody. He told me to stay away from them; that you don't provoke the Volturi unless you want to die. I remember Edward looking confused. He asked Carlisle why anyone would _want_ death, when our kind have nowhere to go after this-no chance at heaven. Carlisle told him that sometimes oblivion is better than what you are suffering." She looked truly upset now. I felt the waves of remorse rolling off of her. It was something I rarely felt coming from her. Rosalie was generally a selfish creature, but this time she was repentant. I sent her consoling waves and took her hands in mine.

"We will fix this Rose. We just have to get to him first." Emmett spoke up for the first time. "Alice said she'd be on a plane right? If she's headed for Italy, I'm going to be there to get her back."

"You're right. I have to tell him I was wrong. About Bella I mean." Rose looked panicked so I shot her more serenity waves.

"Okay. Let's do it. You guys take Rose's car. I'll go pick up Carlisle from the hospital and meet you at the airport." They nodded and took off.

I ran up to the room Alice and I shared and grabbed a few things. I stuffed some clothes, my passport and sunglasses in a bag. I was in Emmett's Jeep headed for the hospital when my cell phone rang. _Alice._

"Are you okay love?"

"Yes, we made our plane."

"Who's we?" I asked suspiciously.

"Bella is with me. I think Edward will need to see her to believe us."

"You are probably right. What's his plan? Can you tell if you will be there in time to stop the idiocy yet?"

"I can't be sure, I keep seeing him do different things, he keeps changing his mind…A killing spree through the city, attacking the guard, lifting a car over his head in the main square…mostly things that would expose them-he knows that's the fastest way to force a reaction…"

"He's certainly right. The Volturi don't waste any time when their way of life is threatened. He's out of his mind. Hopefully he is indecisive enough to give us all time to get there—"

"No, you can't." She whispered.

"What do you mean I can't? Of course we are all coming. Emmett is pumped for a fight." I said lightly to ease her worry.

"Tell Emmett no—"

"He's already on his way to the airport with Rose. I'll be right behind them as soon as I get Carlisle—"

"Well go after Emmett and Rosalie and bring them back…think about it Jasper. If he sees any of us, what do you think he will do?" She was right. If Edward saw us, he would assume we were there to talk him out of it. He would think we were lying about Bella being alive just to keep him safe.

"He'll move quickly to ensure we don't mess up his plan."

"Exactly. I think Bella is the only chance-if there's a chance."

"If? What exactly is the situation Alice?"

"I'll do everything that can be done, but prepare Carlisle; the odds aren't good."

"You know that if anything happens in the public eye, the odds won't be good for you either Alice. You are a Cullen too. They will never believe that you weren't there helping him…" I was frantic. I couldn't believe she was about to do this.

"I've thought of that…"

"Swear to me that no matter what happens, even if we lose Edward, you will get yourself out of that city and come home to me."

"Yes, I promise." She sounded so sweet and delicate…

"Alice, I don't like this. Why don't you wait for me at the airport in Italy and let me take Bella to Volterra?" I pleaded with her.

"Don't follow me. I promise Jasper. One way or another I'll get out…and I love you." She said urgently.

"I love you Alice." I whispered as she hung up. _I'm just going to California to do some shopping Jasper..._I'm going to kill her myself. Shopping is NOT the same as running off to Alaska, then Washington, then Italy where ravenous Vampires are waiting to dismember her and eat her traveling companion. Grrrr….

I pulled the Jeep up in front of the hospital, while dialing Emmett.

"Change of plans Em. Go back to the house."

"What? Are you serious?" Emmett growled.

"Very serious. I'll meet you there in ten minutes." I hung up as I walked through the hospital doors.


	13. Telling Carlisle Telling Esme

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or any of its characters.

I'm so happy that you guys are enjoying the story! Keep me posted about how I'm doing….

Chapter 13- Telling Carlisle; Telling Esme

I felt guilty walking into the hospital because I knew my worry was radiating to the people around me. I knew they were affected by ever downward spiraling atmosphere. I passed the waiting room and saw several people in tears over their loved ones who were ill or injured. The tears were in most cases unnecessary, but my talent was undiscerning-everyone it touched, it affected. I tried to move through the check in area quickly, before my feelings of guilt could hit them too. I was, of course, recognized as Carlisle's son and the receptionist waved me right through. I looked to make sure no one was around and ran up the stairwell at my full speed. My velocity almost took me straight through the door at the top, luckily my mind was even faster than my legs and my reflexes took over. I stopped abruptly and composed myself before opening the door. I knew I had to be careful. Not only were there many humans here, but many of them were bleeding. I could not afford to lose my focus for even a second. I held my breath and walked forward. _So far so good, Jasper. Don't breathe. Don't think about feeding. Just think about Alice. NO. Don't think about Alice. If I think about her Carlisle will feel my panic. I have to think about something else until we can break the news to him gently. Think about…ALICE._ I was hopeless. I couldn't stop thinking about her. I could never really stop thinking about her anyway, but the fact that she was in danger only tripled my attention to her. Nothing can happen to Alice, I can't live without her. I wonder if that is how Edward is feeling right now…like he can no longer live because he thinks she's gone…

"Jasper?" Carlisle had come in to the hallway. He probably had known I was there the minute I stepped into the hospital, he was so attuned to all of us. I always thought it was the venom that created his bond with the others, that allowed him to be so aware of them, but times like right now proved to me that it was the strength of our family's love that connected him to us because Carlisle had not created me. He had not given Alice or I this life, but it didn't matter. We were as irrevocably his as Edward, Esme, Rosalie and Emmett were. I felt a surge of pride at that and saw his concern fade into a smile. Shit. He already felt that something was up and my momentary feeling of love for my father wasn't going to cover my feelings of panic for long.

"Carlisle, can you come home? We have…some things that need to be discussed immediately." I tried to sound as calm as possible.

"Of course." He said quickly. "I just have to tell Dr. Snow I'm stepping out so he can take over my cases for the evening. Why don't you wait outside in the car Jasper? I can't imagine it's comfortable for you in here…" He knew I never went to the hospital if I could help it. It was tempting fate for me to stand in a building of helpless, bleeding humans. I wanted to say I was fine, that feeding was the last thing on my mind, but that would have only worried him about whatever had brought me there in the first place. We had to keep him calm. I sent him the best wave of serenity that I could, considering I had none of my own.

"That's a great idea. I'll pull the Jeep around front and wait for you there." I said lightly. I could feel his worry lift slightly.

I forced myself to walk down the stairs at human pace. I finally took a breath as I walked through the doors to the parking lot. I knew that I didn't require the oxygen, I knew it was probably better if I didn't breath-being susceptible as I was, but the breath was needed. Not required, needed. I tried to relax as I started the Jeep. I had to stay calm for Carlisle. We were about to tell him his first son, and longest companion of this life was suicidal, in Italy and about to beg his old friends, The Volturi, for death.

He was at the passenger door before I even pulled out of the spot. He climbed in and looked at me with his real Carlisle expression, not the one he plastered on his face for the public. Right now, despite the fact that his face was one belonging to someone in their twenties, his eyes showed the knowledge of the nearly four centuries he had experienced. I turned away from his stare, and tried desperately to send more calming feeling to him.

"What happened Jasper?" He asked me quietly.

"Carlisle, I think we had better get home before we get into that. It's…complex." I said.

"Is it Esme? Is she alright?" His voice broke.

"Esme is fine. She has been out shopping all day, but Rosalie called and asked her to come home."

"Edward." He said it as a statement, not a question. He knew something had happened. I felt it rolling off of him in increasingly larger waves of panic.

I didn't say anything. I just eased my foot down onto the gas. I wanted to get Carlisle home and tell him with Emmett and Rose there for two reasons: 1-He was not going to take the news well, and I didn't want us to be around humans when we told him-not that I thought he would hurt someone, as much as I feared us being exposed by the reaction. He could throw something through a wall-like Emmett's Jeep, or move too quickly, or say something revealing while in shock; 2-I didn't think the idea of me and Carlisle alone in the Jeep bouncing horror, panic, sadness, helplessness etc. back and forth to one another via my talent would be a good thing. We might decide to go to The Volturi ourselves out of desperation. We had to get home, tell Carlisle, help him get it together, then get ready to tell Esme-which may be worse. I pulled down our drive and I could feel his relief. The silence and emotions coming from me must have been maddening to him.

We walked in together and found Emmett and Rose sitting in the living room, waiting. I looked at Rose.

"We have a little while before Esme gets home." She said softly. She looked at Carlisle with guilty eyes and I knew we wouldn't have to draw straws to decide who would tell him. She was punishing herself for acting so callously and telling Edward. "Carlisle, you should sit." He did and looked at us as calmly as possible.

"Would you please tell me what is going on." He said tightly.

As I expected Rose spoke again. "Alice called before. She had a vision of Bella jumping from a cliff. She was headed to Forks to stop her, but had no hope that she would make it in time." Carlisle looked pained. He looked down and slowly shook his head.

"How wasteful, she was so young…"

"Um, actually Carlisle it gets worse." I said without thinking. His eyes snapped up to me and he suddenly looked very uneasy. I sent calmness to him again, with more strength this time. Emmett looked away from Carlisle and stood up. Rose looked pleadingly at him, so he sat again.

"Carlisle, Edward called right after we found out about Alice's vision, and Rose sort of let the information slip to him." Emmett said quickly. Carlisle looked angrily at her, but before he could speak Emmett defended her. His loyalty and the strength of their bond gave me a surge of love. I let it fill me and projected it out to help calm everyone. "She didn't do it to be spiteful. She was trying to tell Edward that the situation can't affect him anymore so he could move on with his life, but she didn't realize that Edward was serious about not being able to live without her. He meant it more literally than we thought. He went to Italy to convince the Volturi to help him…finally get to sleep." He finished lamely.

"Then Alice called back. She was wrong in the vision-we don't know why. Bella is alive." I threw in before the fireworks started.

"ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT HE WENT TO ITALY TO KILL HIMSELF?"

"Yes."

"WHY THE HELL ARE WE SITTING HERE? CALL HIM AND TELL HIM SHE'S ALIVE AND HE IS OVER REACTING…AGAIN!!"

"He threw his phone out…" Rose started slowly, not sure what Carlisle was going to do.

"He threw his…" Carlisle jumped up. Apparently my power was no longer helping him. "Carlisle, Alice is on a plane to Italy right now…with Bella. She thinks that if they can get there in time, if he sees Bella they will be able to stop him." I said as calmly as I could. "The time frame is extremely tight. She isn't sure…"

"We should all go. I will call Aro and tell him to keep Edward there until we come for him."

"I think Edward is planning something a little more…indiscrete. He plans to ask them first, but if they decline he will run amok in the city exposing our kind to the humans." I shuddered as I thought about what The Volturi would do to Alice if he succeeded with that plan. "If Edward sees any of us before he sees Bella, he will think we are trying to fool him into coming with us. He isn't going to believe she's alive unless he sees her. With all of us surrounding him he will only act more quickly, knowing that he won't get another chance if we gets our hands on him"

"So, you are telling me that my son is in Italy trying to commit suicide because he thinks the love of his life is dead, but she's really not, and we have no way of telling him that?" He said slowly. Then he quoted softly under his breath 'A greater power than we can contradict Hath thwarted our intents'. It was from _Romeo and Juliet_. Before I could say anything there was a crash.

Esme was standing in the doorway, with the mangled doorframe in her hands. Her face and emotions told me she had heard the gist of the situation. We rushed to her side as she collapsed.


	14. Comfort

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

Thank you for your support! I love that you guys love my story…

Chapter 14-Comfort

Esme was inconsolable. She was raked with unshed tears and heard none of the words of solace we tried to whisper to her. She had pulled her car up in time to hear some of our conversation, and had walked slowly to the door as understanding began to take shape in her mind. It was hard to tell, since she was hysterical, but we pretty much figured she knew the whole story. Damn vampire hearing.

Carlisle had scooped her up in his arms and was sitting on the couch with her in his lap. Rosalie and Emmett were in a similar position on a couch across from them, and I was sitting anxiously in an armchair with my eyes on my cell phone. How much longer before Alice would call?

We had gone through the whole story for Esme, and she was raked with dry sobs. I felt every spasm of her body in my emotional center. Her pain burned my chest-but was nothing compared to my own worry. _Alice._ Just thinking her name was torture. I could envision her perfect face and the masochist in me could picture every awful thing the Volturi would do to her. I wished more than anything that I had her power, so I could know what was going to happen. Knowing-for better or worse had to be better than this purgatory.

I looked at Carlisle and Esme and thought reflexively of the day Alice and I had walked into their lives. They had sat together in this exact position as we told them about our journey. It seemed like a century since we had sought them out. Hand in hand we had arrived at their front door. Alice had been completely confident, of course. That was always Alice's way-confident of her future. I, however, had been more reluctant about our "new life" as she called it. I can't even remember the Jasper that I was before I met them now. I looked lovingly at them, their affection mirroring mine for Alice, and wondered what I would do if something happened to her. Could I continue on with this life we had built? Would I once again become the savage human hunter I had once been? Would I be a soldier again? No. There was nothing for this soldier to serve except for Alice. She had changed me inside and out. I would never be that monster again no matter what happened.

I took a deep breath, and focused again on my Alice. Her smile, her eyes, her positive outlook…I let the calmness that she filled me with pour out and surround the room. I noticed that everyone started to get small, wistful smiles on their faces. Emmett lifted Rose in his arms and moved them to the couch Esme and Carlisle were on. They all sat close together, comforting one another with their presence. Esme looked up at me with an unspeakable expression. She needed no words, she wanted me there too. I squeezed onto the couch with them. We all sat in silence for a long time, arms wrapped around each other.


	15. Contact

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or any of its characters.

I apologize for the brevity of the last chapter…I just felt that there was no need to drag that on forever. To make up for it I'm posting this one at the same time! I hope you will read and review me…enjoy!

Chapter 15-Contact

We stayed together, holding Esme, for countless hours on the couch. Finally my phone rang. I leapt to my feet and answered it.

"Hello? Alice?" I said urgently.

"Jasper," Her voice was like a melody. "We are okay. The Volturi have…made a deal with us. I will explain all of that when we get home. I miss you so much!"

"Thank God you are alive. I miss you too love. What kind of deal? What the Hell is going on over there?"

"Right now, I'm engaging in some behavior of…questionable morality. If my quest goes well, we will be on our way to airport shortly." Great. She was stealing a car and didn't want to say so over the phone. I let out a low growl.

"Jasper, I promise we are fine. I have to go back and pick Edward and Bella up. I'll call you again from the plane to tell you when to pick us up. I love you."

"I love you too. I'll be waiting." I hung up, relieved and drained.

I looked up at my family. Esme's eyes were shining with hope. "They are okay," I told them. "There is apparently some type of stipulation that Alice wouldn't get into over the phone, but they are on their way to the airport." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and then sprung into action.

Edward would have to get Bella home to Charlie, so that meant that their plane would be coming into Seattle. The problem was that we had no idea what this meant. Were Edward and Bella back together? If they were that probably meant we would be moving back to Forks-there was no way Esme would allow the family to split up again for awhile. If they weren't back together, what were we going to do about Edward? Obviously he couldn't be trusted to survive on his own. Did he want us at the airport? He had expressed the desire for us to completely extricate ourselves from Bella's life-but if they were back together that wouldn't matter right? Actually nothing mattered. We were going to be at that airport, we were going to hug Bella and thank her for saving Edward, and if Edward didn't like it I was going to smack him in his idiot face.

We packed the essentials quickly, and headed for the airport. Carlisle's car was already in Washington-in the long term parking lot where Alice had left it, and we could rent another when we got there. Esme chattered happily the whole way about how we would come back and pack the rest of our belongings for the move back to Forks. Carlisle tried to stop her, saying that Edward's feelings on the subject may not have changed-but I don't think she was really listening.

We boarded our plane and sat anxiously waiting for it to take off. I felt the excitement in the air and it rejuvenated me. As the plane took off, every cell in my body, every shiny facet of my flesh could feel me getting closer to Alice. As both of our planes rushed toward rainy, blessed Washington she was all I could focus on. We were halfway there when my phone rang again.

"Alice," I breathed into the phone.

"Do you miss me yet?" She joked.

"You must be joking. Why would I miss you? You just left me…SIX DAYS AGO!" I got a glare about my loud tone from another passenger, and Rose smirked at me.

"Jasper, are you trying to say that this "shopping trip" was too long?" She asked innocently. I growled.

"Yes, I believe we still have a few details to iron out about that little boutique you were supposed to be at."

"Did I forget to mention that I changed my mind about that?"

"Don't even try it Alice. You deliberately lied to me about going to Forks. I knew you were lying when you left. I promise not to be mad, but I want to know why."

"I'm so sorry love. I honestly didn't know this was going to happen until I was already out there. I figured I would just get a little closer, see if I could get a vision, and if not I would leave and go to California."

"Alice. We both know that you would not have given up that easily."

"Okay, fine. If I still didn't get a vision, I may have gone to check on her in person. But I NEVER would have run away to Italy." She said quickly.

"ALICE IF YOU HADN'T HAD A VISION YOU WOULDN'T HAVE NEEDED TO GO TO ITALY!!" Now many passengers were staring at me.

"Well, isn't it a good thing that I did have one? If I hadn't gone to Italy Edward would be dead silly."

"Alice, Edward wouldn't have gone in the first place if…oh, never mind." I gave up. She was never going to let me win anyway. To be honest I wasn't really mad, or I was right now, but knew that once I looked into her eyes we would be fine. So I let it go.

"I love you Alice. I love you and I can't wait to look into your eyes and feel you in my arms."

"I love you too Jasper. I will see you in a few hours." She had a smile in her voice as she hung up.

We landed in Sea –Tac airport and settled in to wait. It seemed like forever, and my anxiousness was only heightened by the excitement of the rest of my family. After a few minutes of my out of control emotions, Rosalie and Emmett decided to wait outside. I was better when it was just Carlisle, Esme and I, but I could barely sit still and nothing would soothe me until she was here.

After an eternity, we heard the announcement that their flight had landed. We waited at the terminal, straining to see them. And suddenly, she was there. I barely saw Edward or Bella after taking notice that they were both unharmed. I focused completely on my Alice. She didn't leap into my arms like many lovers would do in an airport after a long separation. She walked slowly toward me, never breaking eye contact. When she was inches from me it started…our vision. I knew from the feelings rolling off of her that what she saw was brilliant; that we wouldn't be separated again for a very long time. I felt the tingles starting in my feet, I felt every inch of my being pulsating. I couldn't see or hear anything around me, although I had the vague impression that there were hugs and exuberant voices in my general area. All that existed were Alice, me and pure ecstasy. I slowly reached my hand to hers, and when she took it I sent waves of bliss into her. She whispered my name as she shuddered lightly.


	16. Eye of the storm

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

Thanks for reading and reviewing-if you guys keep up the good work, then so will I.

Chapter 16- Eye of the storm

We were home. Well, all except for Edward who refused to leave Bella's side until she woke up. I could feel that this upset Esme greatly, she really wanted us all in the house together-especially Edward, since she had almost lost him forever. We all knew there was a family discussion looming ahead of us. Esme was adamant when it came to talking about things that disturbed the balance in our family. Frankly I was surprised she had let things get as far as they did with Edward. I guess we all made the mistake of letting him have so much solitude. Edward had always been a loner. We had never had to worry about him going insane and stalking death before. Then again, he had never known what heartbreak felt like before.

My talent was feeling emotion. It wasn't often that someone introduced a "new" feeling to me. Edward and Bella had redefined heartbreak and loneliness for me. I would say they redefined love as well, if it wasn't for the depth of my relationship with Alice-that ruined my perspective. Again and again they have broken the boundary of what I thought one individual could feel for another. Now we were well aware of the severity of this situation. Edward and Bella could obviously not survive apart-would he realize this too or would he insist that she was still better off without him? Was he that delusional?

We had gone back to our big, white house in Forks. As soon as everyone, sans Edward, was settled, Alice briefed us on the events surrounding the past few days. She first described for us how she found Bella. It was heartbreaking to hear. Apparently she was almost as bad as he was. It amazed us because her pain had not subsided at all in the months they were apart-neither had her love. Humans were very different from us. Normally their feelings and memories faded at a faster rate than ours, especially about situations where they interacted with us. It was not abnormal for a human to forget us soon after we had moved away. It was one of the things that allowed us to live somewhere more than once, after a few decades of course. Apparently Bella was different in more ways than we had realized. Our involvement in her life had altered her permanently.

"It was so hard to listen to her. There was no life in her voice." Alice shook her head sadly. "No matter what Edward thinks, she is not going to just move on and forget us. And…no matter what Edward thinks, it's time we did something about it."

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked calmly.

"I mean it's time we made Bella a part of our family for real Carlisle." The room exploded into gasps and yells.

"What?!" Rosalie sounded outraged.

"Awesome!" Emmett yelled.

"Wait just a minute Alice," Carlisle spoke up. "Everyone please stop panicking. Alice, it would be Edward's decision to change Bella, if and when that happens. You know how he feels about it." He said sternly.

"Well, I'm making the choice for him. _I'm_ choosing to keep Bella in our lives. I want her to be my sister, and if Edward won't change her _I_ will. This has gone far enough. We know damn well he wants to be with her, if she's a vampire too, he has no reason to continue putting them through this." Alice said firmly. I looked into her eyes. She was hiding something again. I was not even going to think about letting her get away with it. I remembered what happened the last time I gave my beautiful, conniving wife the benefit of the doubt. Everyone was talking at once again, but I spoke up anyway.

"Alice," I started softly, "Where is this coming from?"

"I've been thinking about it ever since Edward first left her and went all catatonic. It makes sense…and I already sort of promised her I would." She admitted reluctantly. She had mentioned it once or twice before, but let it go quickly, like most of us had to because Edward would kill us if we didn't.

"Alice, you know he won't let us. He would kill any of us who tried it." I spoke up.

"I say we do it. I'll hold Eddie down, you bite her Alice." Emmett said excitedly.

"We are not going to _steal_ Bella's mortality Emmett." Esme said quietly. Rose glared at him and at Alice. Mortality theft was not going to fly with her.

"If we don't the Volturi will. They made us promise that Bella's heart stops beating-one way or the other. They weren't exactly keen on a human knowing as much as she did. Besides, it isn't stealing if Bella gives it up willingly-which she will."

"What? What did you promise the Volturi?" Carlisle looked shaken. Actually-he looked fine, but he _felt_ shaken. He was trying to hide his unrest from us.

Alice told us about how she and Bella had barely made it before our highly dramatic brother had almost _stepped into the sun._

"He WHAT?" Esme gasped.

"I know. I can only imagine what he was like as a human. A hundred years should have been plenty of time to get past the over-reacting thing. Anyway, Bella had barely convinced him that he wasn't dead or dreaming when the Volturi guard showed up. They brought us in to see Aro, Caius and Marcus." Alice told us everything that was said between them in the tower. She explained the Volturi's powers to us, since no one other than Carlisle had ever seen them. She told us about Jane, her attack on Edward and her inability to affect Bella-all of their inability to affect Bella actually. When she was finished relaying the tale we all sat in silence.

The emotions were mixed, and random. Finally, Carlisle broke the silence. "Let's wait and see what Edward decides. Of course it's wiser to change Bella, but if we let him come to terms with it on his own, his reaction may be…less severe. Who knows? Maybe he will come home and tell us he wants to do it. That would solve all of the current problems."

Carlisle was right. If Edward decided to change Bella, everything would fall back into place. Of course, I didn't really think there was any chance of him deciding to take that particular route without a fight. Right now we were in the eye of the storm. It would stay relatively calm…until he came home and heard any one of us thinking about it.


	17. The Richter Scale

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

Thank you for reading…and reviewing.

Chapter 17- The Richter Scale

After Alice briefed us on the events that unfolded in Italy we all sort of went our own ways in the house, wanting to be alone with our mates. The dynamic of our relationships was so strong that we understood one another's need for this solitude. It gave us perspective.

Alice and I adjourned to our room. I opened the door for her, allowing her to enter first-ever the southern gentleman. As I shut the door behind me, I turned to feel Alice slam into me at full force. She leapt into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. I immediately succumbed to her. So much for the gentleman. I pushed my hands roughly through her hair, pressing my lips against hers. I kissed her deeply, feeling the sexual energy that was dripping off of her. I cupped my hands underneath her and walked over to our bed. I laid her back and slowly started kissing down her body. Halfway down her stomach, I felt it. Distraction. _She was trying to distract me._ _Two can play at this game. _

I slowly peeled her clothes off, kissing her the whole time. I kissed my way down further, running my hand up the inside of her thigh simultaneously. My hand and mouth met in the middle, and both went to work at teasing her. God, how I loved her. She tasted like heaven to me. I worked my fingers deeper, flicking my tongue in perfect rhythm with them. I drew up as much of the delicious, tense feeling that I could and projected it into her. As she climaxed, I smiled up at her. _Now, you will give me answers, my love._

"How do you feel love?" I asked with an innocent smile.

"Oh my god. I feel like I'm floating Jasper. I love you." She grinned back as she reached for me. I kissed her on the mouth, and she tried to unbutton my jeans.

"Oh no, you don't." I brushed her hand away, smirking at her obvious desire.

"What?" She was confused. I didn't blame her. I had never denied her before, but she was going to answer my questions first this time.

"Love? Why did you lie to me about why you were leaving" I asked in my most throaty whisper. I stared into her eyes as I ran my hand up her chest, cupping her breast. I felt every slight quiver that went through her body, and it was killing me.

"I didn't…I really was going to…ahh…" She stopped in the middle of her explanation, groaning. I covered her mouth with mine, kissing her intently again. Finally she managed to tear her lips away.

"I didn't mean to lie to you. I just needed to know about her. It would have driven me crazy if I hadn't. Even if she HAD died, I just had to know."

"And you thought you couldn't tell me? Why?"

"I wanted to protect you-and everyone else. I knew how your feelings had been affecting you lately and I knew that if something bad HAD happened, you wouldn't have been able to keep it from affecting the whole family." She had regained her senses and was sitting up staring intently at me. I felt her unease. She didn't want me to be upset with her-and I wasn't.

"Alice, I was telling you the truth when I said I wasn't angry with you. I am not happy that you felt like you needed to be so sneaky, but I understand why you did." I tilted her chin up so I could see her eyes better. "But, you have to promise to never do this to me again. You never need to lie to me. I will always be behind you, and I swear to you that I can control my emotions. You must never put yourself in this kind of danger out of a lack of trust again."

"Jasper, I do trust you." Her eyes were wide and shining, "I just wanted to make it easier on you. I promise that from now on I will let you decide what you can and cannot handle. I didn't realize…"

"What? That I was, after a hundred and forty years, able to control myself?" Okay, now I was getting angry. She was a lady. I was supposed to take care of her and she was thought she needed to treat me like I was a child.

"No! Be reasonable Jasper. I just didn't want you to be unnecessarily uncomfortable. You've been put in that position far too often because you are so susceptible to everyone. It affects you and you need to admit that." Now she was angry too. She leapt off the bed and grabbed her clothes, pulling them on quickly. That was not a good sign. Putting on the clothes meant she wanted to show zero weakness. I felt the stubbornness rising off of her.

"Alice, you know damn well that what you did was unnecessary, and out of line. Don't you dare try to turn this around to be about me. You lied to me, and you put yourself in danger in a foreign country. Do you think that there is anything in this world I would not do for you?" I said softly as I stood up and put my arms around her. I cheated and sent a surge of emotion into her.

"Hmmm…I wonder where the sudden urge to back down and let you win just came from." She said sarcastically. Then she smiled. "I know you were worried and I'm sorry.

"All I'm asking is that next time you trust me with whatever the problem is, instead of always trying to handle everything on your own. I want to take care of you. Indulge my southern clichés once in awhile." I smiled back.

"Okay, I promise that the next time our brother is suicidal, and I have to flee to another country to save him…"

"Alice."

"Okay, okay. I was wrong. I should never have lied to you in the first place. After I got there, there was no time to do anything differently though."

"You would not have been in that situation if you had told the truth-to everyone, not just me. It was more a case of misunderstandings than Edward being…"

"Maybe it was, this time, but he has been morose and depressed since he first left her. If nothing else comes of this, at least it's forcing him to deal with her and his feelings." Well, I couldn't argue with that. Maybe she was right. It was time to deal with all of this.

"Do you really think he's going to change her Alice?"

"My vision of her as one of us is still the same. Bella WILL be a vampire, I just can't say who will do the biting because no one has made the definite decision to do so. Edward doesn't want to, and I am not sure I can. Carlisle won't decide until he knows how Edward really feels about it, but I'm pretty sure he will make Edward do it himself if that is what it comes down to."

"Well, that's reassuring."

"Yeah, after the initial fallout, and after the piano bench…he will start to come around."

"The piano bench?"

"Don't ask. Just stay away from it."

"Okay," I grinned. "So when is the fallout supposed to go down? And how bad are we talking?"

"They will be here in a two hours. Remember that time Emmett came home from hunting with Koala all over him when we lived in Australia?"

"Yes…Esme bounced him off every wall in the house for getting blood on her antique white couches." I laughed, "I think they said something about mini earthquakes on the news in reference to the noise his fat head made." Esme had been terrifying that day, but we could all laugh about it now. Two decades later.

"Yeah…so if that was a One, Edward's reaction is going to be about a Six."


	18. Meeting

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

Thank you so much for the reviews. They are so helpful!

Chapter18- Meeting

"A six?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah, you know like on the Richter Scale when they rate earthquakes? If Edward's rage could be judged like that, we would call it a six." Alice said nonchalantly.

"Um, Alice why exactly are we going to be experiencing an Edward sized earthquake tonight?"

"Well, the thing is-Bella is sort of going to…"

"WHAT?"

"I'm not exactly sure, because Bella hasn't made any conscious decisions, but it ends up with them coming here. We are having a family meeting and Bella's immortality is the issue at hand."

"That would definitely cause an Edward sized earthquake. Maybe, he is right Alice. Maybe it is wrong for us to change her when there is no reason her life has to end now. She's only eighteen…"

"No reason? Where have you been Jasper? They _cannot survive apart from one another._ A very recent stamp in my passport proves it. If they can't be apart, then it only makes sense that they be together." She spoke very slowly to me like I was crazy.

"Well maybe they can be together without the change." I knew this was impossible. I remembered Bella's birthday. _The existence of monsters has monstrous consequences._

"This isn't your fault. I feel your shame Jasper, please relax."

"I know. I just can't help but wonder what would have happened if I hadn't gone after her that night. Maybe none of this would have happened."

"Of course it would have." I stared at her. "Well, maybe not this exactly, but they would have eventually had to deal with the fact that Edward is not human and Bella is. And, eventually when that happened Edward would have made the exact same choice. If you love something, set it free-right? He would have let her go, and then spiraled down just as we saw him do. Then eventually, I, being so much wiser than he-would have done exactly what I _did_ do. Fate finds a way Jasper." She smiled knowingly.

"So it does, it seems." I said softly. Only Alice. She had, in thirty seconds erased months of guilt that had been weighing down on me.

"And apparently Fate has decided that Bella is going to be a vampire too. So how are we going to help Fate along with that plan?" She asked happily.

"I think we should let Bella and Edward figure that one out amongst themselves. He will not appreciate us getting involved. He wants her to stay human."

"Obviously if they end up here talking to the whole family about it, one of them has decided to involve us. He may want her to stay human, but that is just unreasonable. Maybe we should just do it for him."

"Are you INSANE? He will tear us apart if we even look at her funny!"

"He would thank us later though. Maybe you should send him calming feelings-a lot of them, so he gets extremely lethargic-and while Rose and Emmett hold him down, Carlisle or I can bite her. It will be too late before he can stop us."

"That is an awful plan. You had better get it out of your head before he gets home and hears it." I threatened. "You know he'll go crazy if he does."

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Not yet. But when I come up with one it will not involve anything that has to do with me watching your back for the next four hundred years." I kissed her softly. "Let's just see what happens when they get here. Maybe we aren't supposed to plan for it."

"Maybe you're right. No planning. We might need to take Edward by surprise…" She wandered into our closet. Obviously not getting involved wasn't an option.

"Alice, what are you doing?" She was throwing clothes around frantically, and I was having a serious conversation with her.

"I need to find the perfect outfit. If I have to be the one to do change Bella, I want to look perfect." There were so many things wrong with that statement. I wasn't sure where to start.

"Um, Alice? Are you sure you can? Change her, I mean. You have never bitten a human. You may become frenzied by the blood and not be able to stop. It isn't that I doubt you love," I saw her eyes darkening, "I just have a lot of experience with this kind of thing. It is easy to forget yourself and drain the blood instinctively. Maybe you should practice biting and not drinking before you try it on Bella."

"I…maybe you are right." She sat back down next to me and I could feel her sudden panic. I touched my hand to her lower back and calmed her immediately.

"I'm not trying to scare you. I just want us to do what's right for Bella. I love her too, and I hope she _does_ become one of us, but we have to think about her safety."

I watched her eyes glaze over and knew she was searching for what would happen if she was the one to change Bella. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand as her eyes gaped in horror. I sent her more serenity and waited for her to tell me what she saw.

"Oh my god." She whispered. She was flooded with shame.

"You don't have to be ashamed. You haven't done anything-this is only a version of a potential future remember?"

"You're right." She brightened and looked again. Her eyes glazed for a long time. Finally she came out of it, but didn't seem totally happy. "I'm not the best choice. I would definitely have to practice…a lot. Carlisle would be best. He could do it with no complications…" She laid her head onto my shoulder and sighed impatiently. "I wish he would stop being so stubborn and change her himself. It's what she really wants."

We sat like that for awhile, wrapped in each others arms on the couch in our room. There was nowhere I would rather be. Nothing could taint this feeling of perfection.

"Carlisle? Esme? Rosalie? Emmett? Jasper? Alice?" It was Edward. Apparently I spoke too soon. I quickly gathered my thoughts, as Alice excitedly pulled me to my feet. I was still trying to center myself for the emotional storm when she dragged me into the dining room.

We sat around the dining room table, with Bella at the head. Alice grinned. It was apparent who had decided to involve the whole family in the decision making process. I wasn't really surprised. I couldn't imagine that it was going to be Edward, who demanded his personal space be sacred. He was going to be extremely angry when he finds out Alice offered to change her. Then I noticed Edward's glare. His face was murderous and he wouldn't meet anyone's eyes. Apparently he knew now. That was probably not good. I quickly sent some calming waves toward him. His glare relaxed into a grimace.

"Well, I'm hoping Alice has already told you everything that happened in Volterra" Bella said quickly glancing at Alice.

"Everything," Alice said calmly as Bella gave her a meaningful look.

"And on the way?" Bella asked.

"That too," Alice nodded as Edward gave her a nasty look.

"Good, then we are all on the same page. Then she shocked us. I could feel it all around me. Bella wanted us to decide, by a vote, whether or not to make her a vampire. If we chose not to, she was going to go back to Italy and face the Volturi alone so we wouldn't be in danger. Amazing. I heard Edward's low growl, but I wasn't sure if it was because of the idea of Bella anywhere near the Volturi, the thoughts he was hearing or the fact that we were actually going to vote. It was probably all three, knowing him. Of course, being as opinionated as Edward was, he couldn't just sit there.

"Just a minute, I have something to add before we vote." Edward said as Bella glared at him. "About the danger Bella's referring to, I don't think we need to be overly anxious." Edward went on to describe, what is in my opinion a bloody brilliant plan. We hide Bella when Alice sees the Volturi coming, leaving there trackers helpless. It was great, as far as strategy goes...the girls did not agree. I felt the dissention-it was utterly painful. Being in a room with three different women glaring at their significant other was pretty much the worse possible scenario. Luckily Bella put me out of my misery.

"All right then. Edward has offered an alternative for you to consider, let's vote." She looked at Edward first. "Do you want me to join your family?" She asked him.

"Not like that. You're staying human" His feelings were coming in fast waves now, he was nervous.

"Alice?" Bella looked at her.

"Yes," Alice answered seriously. Her feelings were like heaven compared to Edward's. She truly loved Bella and was going to fight for her. Edward scowled and the waves got higher.

"Jasper?" Bella looked at me. I don't care how angry Alice gets. If I sense conflict in her, I'm voting no. I looked into Bella's eyes, feeling for her emotions. She was sure. She wanted eternity-with us. That was good enough for me.

"Yes," I answered, ignoring Edward's fury.

"Rosalie?"

"No…" Rose said reluctantly. Bella face gave nothing away, but I felt her disappointment. "Let me explain," Rose pleaded, "It's not that I have any aversion to you as a sister. It's just that, this is not the life I would have chosen for myself. I wish there had been someone there to vote no for me." Her words didn't fully reach Bella, but she understood. She nodded and turned to Emmett.

"Emmett?"

"Hell, yes!" Emmett was elated at the idea of a new sister. If vampires could sweat, I would be drenched from the stress Edward's emotions were putting on me.

Bella looked at Esme.

"Yes, of course Bella. I already think of you as part of my family." Esme felt overjoyed at the possibility of Edward having a partner. She loved Bella as much as she loved the rest of us.

"Thank you, Esme," Bella whispered. Then she looked at Carlisle.

He wasn't looking at her. He was eyeing up Edward carefully. I could feel his apprehension. "Edward,"

"No," Edward said firmly. His emotions, were about to drown me.


	19. Storm

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight or to any of its characters._

Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing! I was so elated by the number of reviews I got for the last chapter! Do you think I should continue the story through _Eclipse_ or end it with _New Moon_?

Chapter 19-Storm

My hands were clutched onto the dining room table. The storm was raging. I would say that the "Edward sized storm" was not yet at full throttle, but it had to be close. I had never felt this much anger in him, so I couldn't be positive. I shuddered as another wave hit me._ God, how much more can he have?_

Carlisle was trying to reason with him. "It's the only way that makes sense, you've chosen not to live without her, and that doesn't leave me a choice." Carlisle was right and everyone knew it, except Edward. He shoved himself away from the table roughly, and stormed out.

"I guess you know my vote," Carlisle said quietly. Edward was boiling at a level I thought impossible. I heard him grab his piano bench as he walked through the front hall into the family room, and then I heard a crash and a spark. _Did he just throw that through our TV? _I wondered. He was letting out a stream of language that I know did not exist in the early 1900's. Esme was going to kill him for behaving like this. At least Bella couldn't distinguish everything happening in the other room. I could see her flinch, but I could tell she couldn't hear exactly what he was saying in there. That was a good thing. I felt Alice's hand cover mine. She was gently trying to remove my fingers from the table. I was so caught in the storm that I was in danger of breaking it in two. I loosened my grip on the wood, but clutched Alice's hands for dear life. She stroked my fingers softly and I felt her love. It soothed me momentarily.

"That's all I needed," Bella spoke up breaking the momentary silence. "Thank you for wanting to keep me. I feel exactly the same way about all of you, too." She sounded choked up, and I felt the sweet swell of emotion that accompanied it. It was amazing how much she loved us. I filled myself with the positive energy of pure love as Esme wrapped her arms around Bella. She was thrilled that she would be getting another daughter. It was a sincere, beautiful moment and it filled me completely.

That feeling was extremely short lived, because as soon as Esme released her Bella turned her attention to Alice. "Well, Alice, where do you want to do this?" I felt Alice's terror. She had lost her confidence about her ability to not kill Bella.

"NO! NO! NO!" Oh, shit. Edward was back. I grabbed onto the table again, since Alice was so filled with terror. I knew she wouldn't be able to calm me when this got worse-which I knew it would. Edward got right into Bella's face, looming over her threateningly. "Are you insane? Have you utterly lost your mind?" He was screaming in her face, and I heard a very low growl escape Emmett's throat. I looked at him and saw his muscles tensed. If Edward got any crazier he was going to rip him away from her.

"Um, Bella, I don't think I'm ready for that. I'll need to prepare…" Alice said shakily. Edward was trying to block Bella from looking at Alice, unsuccessfully with his arms.

"You promised," Bella said from the cage Edward's arms created around her.

"I know, but seriously Bella, I don't have any idea how to not kill you!"

"You can do it, I trust you." Bella said quickly. Edward growled and leaned farther over Bella. Alice was shaking her head frantically.

"Carlisle?" Bella looked at him expectantly. Edward grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. Emmett growled a little louder and Rosalie slammed her hand down onto his leg motioning him to stay where he was and not get involved. He stayed, but continued to watch Edward like a hawk.

Edward was motioning for Carlisle to keep his mouth shut, but Carlisle has never been intimidated by Edward before and ignored him. "I'm able to do it, you would be in no danger of me losing control."

Bella was trying to agree but Edward was holding her too tightly. I felt his anger surge even higher-and then it dropped suddenly, simmering, waiting to surge again. I looked at him quickly and saw a glimmer in his eyes. Apparently he had a plan. I waited to hear whatever stalling technique he had contrived.

"It doesn't have to be now." He wanted us to wait until after graduation. It made sense. If she just disappeared people would become suspicious and we couldn't afford to draw that kind of attention to ourselves. This appealed to Bella's logical side too. She agreed to wait; to do it correctly. She truly was a Cullen. She was ready to put off what she wanted for the good of the whole. Edward took her home soon after that, and the climate started to settle in the room.

Well, as much as a room's emotional climate can settle when there are three vampires who were ecstatic about Bella joining the family, one who was extremely pissed about it, one who was calm-but concerned about Edward and one who was an empath-who was feeling and projecting all of that around and multiplying it.

"Oh my god! I can't believe he agreed! We are getting a new sister!" Alice was bouncing in her chair.

"I know," Esme said softly. "And now that Edward has found his mate, all of my children are happy."

"I wouldn't say that Edward is exactly happy." I said tightly. They didn't feel what I had felt.

"Well, he isn't now. He will be though. I'd rather see him angry, than see him as the shell he was when he was without her. He will get over it after it's done and he sees that she is happy." Esme said quickly.

"What if she's not happy after she realizes what it entails? Be careful what you wish for right?" Rosalie bit out.

"Okay, enough with this crap Rose," Alice shot out. "We get it. You don't like Bella and you don't like that your life was stolen away in exchange for immorality. You can feel however you want about your situation, but you had better get used to Bella because she is going to be around _for eternity_."

"Alice is right babe, eternity is a long time to hate someone you live with." Emmett spoke up.

"I don't think she should be around for eternity. That's the point. I don't think she should willingly give up her life. For us, it was different. We would have died. There was no chance at saving us. She still has a chance, and excuse me for hoping she sees it before it's too late."

"So you don't really hate her after all." I said quietly. She didn't. I could feel it. She was jealous. Ragingly, massively jealous. "If you hated her, you wouldn't care if she regretted her decision, and you wouldn't try to stop her."

"Yeah Rose, why are you doing this?" Alice wondered.

"Rosalie, you aren't jealous are you?" asked Esme. She was so intuitive when it came to her children. I nodded imperceptibly to them.

"I am not jealous! I just think she is making a stupid decision and have no desire to spend forever with someone so dumb." She glared at me, daring me to betray her and spill anything else about her feelings.

"Rosalie, the fact is that Edward loves her. They were made for one another. She is going to be in our lives and everyone should make her feel welcome. The change and new lifestyle will be difficult enough, without her worrying about you. Please try to be less abrasive towards her." Carlisle implored her. She nodded slowly and excused herself. She walked out of the room slowly, defeated. The feelings in the room lightened considerably. Wait. What was that? I looked at Emmett, and he seemed distressed.

'She isn't angry at you Emmett. Go talk to her." I encouraged him. He smiled and went after her. Then I looked at Carlisle and Esme. They were relaxed now, sitting back in their seats. I turned to Alice and felt her happiness. The storm was over. I slowly removed my fingers from the table. They left dents in the table again. I looked sheepishly at Esme, and she just smiled and shook her head.


	20. An almost peaceful day

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

A million apologies for the delay in the posting of this chapter! I hope you will keep reading and reviewing!! Let me know what you guys like…

Chapter 20- An almost peaceful day

I was in the most perfect place on the planet. I had gone from agony to ecstasy. I was sitting in the room Alice and I shared and I was entranced in her gaze. After the stressful meeting downstairs, we had adjourned to our sanctuary. I had my hands wrapped around her tiny ones, and we were sitting cross-legged facing one another. Her feelings were like a drug to me. Pure love and desire was flowing off of her and hitting me powerfully. I never wanted this moment to end. My raw nerves were completely soothed by her feelings for me. I looked deeply into her eyes. They were beautiful and filled with passion, but they were also too dark. Stunning, glittering, midnight orbs gazed back at me.

As much as it pained me to do it, I broke our reverie. "Alice, you need to hunt love. It's been a rough couple of days for you." I smiled and stood up, pulling her with me. She grinned back, but to my great pleasure she looked just as disappointed as I was about leaving our sanctuary. I laughed and pressed a quick kiss to her pouting lips. She joined my laughter as the waves of my emotions washed over her, and we walked downstairs hand in hand.

"Where do you feel like hunting?" she asked sweetly as she swung our arms while we walked.

I looked down at her with a smirk. "Obviously we are going wherever you like love."

"You know…there is a pretty big park over by the mall." She suggested slyly. My smirk turned to horror.

"Alice, you are NOT making me shop. Isn't the mall closed? It's barely five, they can't be open yet."

"Well they will be by the time we finish hunting." She was smirking now. I apparently indulged my wife entirely too much, because nothing about her expression suggested that she thought she might not get her way. That look was too much. I was not letting her get away with this. I wanted a little downtime with Alice before the frenzy started again. Where did she get the endurance? She just back from Italy and a near-death experience that involved the theft of a Porsche…

"Alice, you owe me. You made me worry about you for a week while you were committing felonies in foreign countries and almost getting killed. I demand a relaxing, shopping-free day with you." I pulled her into my arms and kissed the back of her neck. I was playing dirty, I guess. I refused to let any iota of guilt creep in though. If I did it would be impossible to hide it from her and she would make me shop. I shuddered.

"Okay, Jasper. No shopping today. I hope you thought this one out, because that was one hell of a get out of shopping free card you just pulled." She smiled as we walked out into the front yard. Ah, she could see straight through me. I was so transparent. I didn't care, if someone was going to know me inside and out I was glad it was my Alice. Also-I was off the hook from shopping, which added to the whole not caring about my transparency thing.

"So, where are we going hunting then?" I grinned at her. She grinned back and took off running toward the woods. I bolted after her. We chased one another through the woods for a good seven or eight miles before we found what we were looking for. Well, we found what Alice was looking for anyway. What I would be looking for, if I were in charge of the menu, was definitely not on the Cullen diet. Alice's choice tonight was Black Bear.

I couldn't help it, I still thought about human blood. I wanted it in lieu of whatever random animal I always found myself draining. I still couldn't really taste the discreet nuances of flavor that Edward claimed varied from one animal to another. They all tasted the same to me. Tonight it was Black Bear. Anything for Alice. The life I had found with her was worth a flavorless eternity.

After we had finished off the bears we found at the base of the mountain looming before us, we climbed up to its summit. The mountain top was covered in a field of little purple flowers. I picked one and tucked it behind her ear. We sat looking out over the Olympic Peninsula enjoying the purity and silence of the morning. Suddenly she went rigid. Her eyes glazed over and a small smile spread across her face. She was having a vision, and apparently it was a good one-so I relaxed and waited for her to come out of it and tell me what she saw. She slowly blinked her eyes and her smile widened.

"I can't believe he didn't tell me," she whispered. Her voice was so soft I could barely make out her words.

"What is it Alice? What did you see?" I was smiling too now because of the serene happiness flowing from her.

"Our brother is about to propose."

"Again? How many times do they have to do it? Just because Rosalie is mad about Bella doesn't mean we should have to go through another one of her three ring circus weddings." I whined. I knew it was incredibly ungallant of me, especially since she looked so happy about it, but I had seen Rosalie and Emmett get married one too many times.

"Not that brother. Edward is going to ask Bella to marry him." She was grinning now.

"Are you serious? They are getting married?"

"That's what I saw! He is going to do it any second! Come on-I want to be home when they come over to tell us!" she jumped up and took off down the mountain. We ran through the woods again, completely elated. Her excitement was washing over me. I couldn't believe it. Edward, who we thought would never meet anyone, who had been the epitome of a loner for the past century, was getting married. It was perfect. They are meant to be together-feelings like the ones they had for one another can not be ignored. They were going to have an amazing life together.

We got back to the house, and Alice ran straight to our room. I was shocked. She ran past Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Rosalie and did not say one thing about the engagement. I watched her quietly as she pulled out her laptop and started looking at wedding dresses. Finally I couldn't take it anymore. "Alice, what are you waiting for? I can't believe you didn't tell them!"

"I was going to, but I don't want to rob Edward and Bella of their moment. Edward has been waiting too long for this for me to ruin it for him." She didn't look up from the computer. Well, there went my frenzy-free day with Alice. I had seen enough Alice Cullen created weddings to know I probably wouldn't get another frenzy-free minute until they left for their honeymoon. I sighed and sat down quietly to watch her work. This was better than nothing, and at least I knew where she was. Finally, what seemed like hours later, Edward arrived…alone.

"What the hell…" she said loudly. I watched as her eyes glazed over and she tried to see what had happened. She hissed under her breath and was in the hallway an instant later. I calmly walked up to Edward's room, where I knew they would be. Edward was sitting on his couch silently with his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, while Alice was whispering frantically.

"I saw you ask her! What the hell happened? Where is she?"

"She is…_reluctant_ about the idea of marriage." He said quietly. He appeared calm, but I could feel his disappointment and rejection.

"Edward Cullen are you telling me she said no?"

"No. She didn't say no, and she isn't going to. She just hasn't _officially_ said yes."

"Are you serious? She is ridiculously in love with you. Why would she be reluctant?" I asked.

"Apparently her parents marrying and divorcing at such a young age has had an unforeseeable adverse effect on her." He said dryly.

"So…how do you plan to change her mind?" Alice demanded.

"A compromise. She wants me to change her. If she agrees to marry me, I will." He smiled smugly.

"What do you mean? I thought we decided that Carlisle was going to do it after graduation? I thought you didn't want to do it at all!" she argued.

"I don't want to take Bella's soul away, but it appears that she can't be swayed away from becoming one of us. Trust me if it were possible, I would have achieved it with one of my several million arguments." He grumbled.

"So you are telling me that you went from being against the idea all together, to being the one to bite her?" I asked incredulously. Wow, Bella really knew how to work my brother. I'd never seen him not get his way.

"It is apparently my only bargaining chip. On the plus side, her fear of marriage will keep her human a little longer. I told her I won't change her until after we are married."

"So basically there is no wedding in my near future at this point?" Alice pouted.

"As of right now, no." he sounded disappointed, but he smiled. "And, I would really rather you didn't mention any of this to anyone Alice. Especially not Bella-she seems really uncomfortable about it right now. I want her to say yes without feeling pressured."

"Of course I won't." she reassured him quickly. "And thank you for my new sister Edward!" she squealed as she bounced forward to kiss his cheek. He smiled and playfully pushed her away.

"You don't _have_ a new sister yet."

"But I will." She said confidently.


	21. Finally a distraction

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight _or to any of its characters.

I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I enjoy writing them-keep me posted!

Chapter 21- Finally-a distraction

_I love her. I love her. I love her._ I just had to keep reminding myself so I didn't _kill_ her. I had been watching Alice prepare for a hypothetical wedding for weeks. Not only was I watching, I was being forced into involvement because I was the only other person who knew that there _was_ a hypothetical wedding. Well, obviously Edward and Bella knew-but Bella wasn't supposed to know that we knew that she knew… It was bad enough being involved in the real weddings…this was ridiculous. At least Alice had to keep the frenzy to a low roar so that no one else suspected that Edward was waiting on baited breath for an answer to his proposal.

I actually don't think Alice even realized just how painful the anticipation was for him. I knew exactly how he felt. He was giving me anxiety. How a vampire can possibly suffer from anxiety is beyond me, but Edward has figured out how to accomplish that feat, and has generously passed it on to me. _Asshole. Hmmm-maybe a side effect of dating a human was susceptibility to their emotions. _I tried calming him down, but the time he spent at home was always brief. Bella was grounded for the Italy stunt and not allowed out of the house, so Edward was spending every minute that Charlie allowed him with her in her house. This, basically meant he came home only long enough to change his clothes, screw with my emotions, and spy on Alice's thoughts to see if there were any ominous visions he should know about. Everyone else found this endearing. I didn't think it was cute at all. I didn't think anxiety attacks while watching Alice plan a wedding were cute. Edward and Bella were so going to have to make this up to me.

I needed a diversion. _I love her. I love her. I love her…_

"Jasper, what do you think of this dress? It's very early 1900's, so I think Edward would love it-but it's so…so…_early 1900's. _Yuck. Do you think that maybe if I convinced the designer to take this out and add a different lace…" _BLAH BLAH BLAH-AHHHHHHHH!_

"Alice, if you truly love me and value my sanity, you will put this stuff away for the rest of the day. I need a break…" Her mouth turned down into a pout, and her eyes widened. She was utterly gorgeous. I checked my tone, and tried to backtrack. "What I mean is that I think you have been working too hard and I want to help you relax." I rubbed her shoulders gently. I dragged my lips down the back of her neck, breathing in her scent.

"You are sweet Jas, but this _is_ relaxing." She turned back to her laptop. I was going to break that damn thing…

"Jasper, can you join me please?" Carlisle's soft voice rang out. He always spoke softly, knowing we could hear him. The rest of us often slipped back into the human habit of yelling or raising our voices though we did not need to.

"Of course," I answered in the same soft tone. Thank god for Carlisle, he had saved my sanity and Alice's laptop. I kissed Alice's cheek and went downstairs. I found Carlisle in front of the television…and his feelings were extremely jumbled. I knew he was trying very hard to control them for my sake. He had mastered hiding his thoughts from Edward, and was fairly good at diverting Alice's visions, but emotions work differently. You have to cover one feeling with another, and the process of doing it usually leads to other feelings of stress, inadequacy or annoyance. Carlisle was the best at hiding his feelings out of anyone I had ever encountered as a vampire, and it only took me about one minute to fully decipher them. He was worried, but he thought he might be over-reacting…he wanted reassurance, but didn't want to _seem_ worried.

"Jasper, look at this news report. I'm concerned about the crime wave that is currently affecting Seattle, and would like to know what you think about it." Carlisle said in an aloof manner. He seemed to not really care at all…

I turned my attention to the television, listening intently to the newscast. Apparently there was a string of semi-related deaths that were unexplained. Mostly they were speculating that a gang was involved. I looked wide-eyed at Carlisle. His aloofness was gone. My reaction confirmed that he wasn't over-reacting. A newborn vampire was loose in Seattle.

"Why are you showing me this Carlisle?" I couldn't imagine that he was worried about the integrity of our coven. It would take much more than a single newborn to take us out…

"Well, I've been watching this same report since yesterday and the bodies are starting to pile up, so to speak. I think something needs to be done, before the neophyte and his or her creator expose us all." He looked severely troubled.

"I agree, of course, but isn't this a Volturi matter? What does it have to do with us?"

"Well, yes, the Volturi would normally handle a situation such as this one. However, I am disinclined to wait for them to intervene. The issue with Bella concerns me. I know how they think. They will have assumed that we changed Bella immediately upon Edward and Alice's return from Italy. I want to give them no reason to come to this area until after her future with us is secure. They don't offer second chances." He ran his hand through his hair angrily. "I know this Seattle problem is none of our business, but maybe we should discuss checking it out, as a preventative measure if nothing else."

"I hadn't thought of that. I suppose you are right. If we can handle this quickly and quietly, that would be preferable to tempting the Volturi. In my experience with them, they not only don't give second chances, but they don't wait for explanations either. They will clear out the area. No exceptions." I said grimly, remembering my military days. It seemed like another lifetime…

"I would like to have a meeting when everyone gets home. To see what everyone thinks. This is a delicate situation, and I want us all on the same page."

"It really should be fairly easy to deal with, once we locate the newborn. They are strong and bloodthirsty, but they can be reasoned with usually."

"I know. I am more concerned about the creator. Why haven't they taught this newborn? Why are they blatantly ignoring the rules?" He mused.

"Perhaps they don't know there are any?"

"Possible, but not probable. Most vampires have at least enough civility to understand that exposure of our kind is something to be avoided, even if they haven't heard of the Volturi. It's a natural instinct for us to hide our true nature."

"Maybe, the creator is…trying what Edward was trying. Maybe they are looking to be exposed." I spoke very softly. If Esme even heard someone mention Edward's suicide attempt, she would kill us.

"Also possible, but I feel that if he wanted that, he would have gotten it by now. It's already been a few days…"

"What if there isn't one. What if the creator left, or was killed. Maybe the newborn is alone."

"That could very well be. And in that case, I suppose it would only be right for us to teach him or her…either way I feel we should monitor this situation very carefully. Can I count on your help Jasper? I'm not sure where this situation is going to take us."

"Of course, Carlisle. No matter what needs to be done, the safety of this family is my number one concern. I will do whatever is necessary." And I would. Alice was my world, and this was our home. Plus-I loved being a soldier.


	22. Strategy

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

Thank you all for reading my story and for the reviews! I love you guys!

Chapter 22-Strategy

I was torn. On one hand I was appreciative of the silence. Alice was in school, so the lack of wedding planning was apparent and welcome. On the other hand, Alice was in school so the lack of _Alice_ was also apparent and _unwelcome_. I missed her during the days where our human charade separated us. My older appearance always led to a year or two where she was still enrolled in High School.

I had spent most of the day watching the news to keep up on the Seattle situation. I had no doubt about the fact that a newborn was, in fact, ravaging the city indiscriminately. The entire family had talked about it briefly, and we decided not to get involved until Alice's talent cued us in that it was the right time. While we waited for the vision, I watched intently trying to determine exactly what level of skill we were dealing with. I was completely engrossed when Alice burst through the front door.

"Jasper," I jumped up to kiss my gorgeous wife. "Today at lunch I saw Victoria coming back!" she blurted out.

I paused an inch from her lips, shocked. "What do you mean?" I asked calmly, trying not to let her exhilaration effect my emotions.

"I had a vision that she was going to come for Bella this weekend. She is going to try to kill her." Apparently my calmness had affected her, and she sounded more relaxed as she spoke. "There's going to be a fight."

"Does Edward know?"

"Yes, he saw the vision as soon as I had it; we were in lunch when it happened. Bella _doesn't_ know though. He is going to convince her to go to Florida to see her mother this weekend."

"Are you serious? There's no way Edward is going to leave her alone with Victoria still alive." I said incredulously.

"He's going with her. I saw it. As soon as he saw the vision in my head, I saw them going to Florida this weekend!"

"What the hell is Edward going to do in Florida? When the woman he's been silently stalking for almost a year is going to be right here!"

"We are talking about Bella, Jasper. Her safety is the most important issue with him. He won't trust that she'd be okay alone, and he won't trust that she'd be okay here while Victoria's here. But he does trust _us_. He will escort her to Florida, and keep her occupied and unaware. And _we_, will take care of Victoria to ensure our new sister's safety. It's a great plan actually." She smiled in spite of the situation.

Hmm, it was a good plan. I definitely owed Victoria a painful death for putting my wife in danger. If Edward wasn't here, I would only have to share the fun with Emmett…who definitely would want in.

"It is a good plan. Can you see it working?"

"Actually…no." she said with annoyance in her voice. "But that doesn't mean it won't. I can't see the fight at all. I think that means it is going to take place close to the treaty line. The werewolves being in close proximity must be affecting my vision."

"Do you think that the wolves will decide to stick their noses in this?"

"I can't tell that either. Let's hope they don't. This is our score to settle." Alice said with a fierceness that endeared her to me even more-if that was possible. "I can however see Edward and Bella coming over here in a few hours. We can't let Bella know anything is going on, or Edward will never convince her to leave town."

"Well, then you better play it cool love. Your emotions are raging." I smiled and pulled her into my arms. I calmed her, and gently ran my fingers through her short spiky hair. We sat like that, enveloped in a bubble of serenity, until Edward and Bella arrived.

--

Alice and Edward were _so _showing off. They were playing chess-in their minds. I watched Bella's reaction. Her face was smooth, with only a hint of awe in her expression. Inside though, she was laughing. She never ceased to amaze me. She took our irregularities with such stride, that it only further cemented in my mind that she belonged with us. I watched her laugh and joke with Alice as they ganged up on Edward. Esme was absentmindedly stroking Bella's hair as she sat next to her on the couch. And Bella was comfortable. She knew she belonged here. I smiled as Edward beat Alice. She grunted, annoyed at losing again. Suddenly, I locked eyes with my future sister-in-law.

"Bella, would you like to play with me?" I asked tentatively. I would understand if she didn't. I had been the cause of much vampire/human awkwardness.

"Of course Jasper," She was smiling and nothing in her emotions gave away that it wasn't completely genuine. "I can't play in my mind or anything…"

"Well, thank god for that. I've been waiting decades to play with someone who can't cheat."

She giggled, "What about Emmett or Rosalie?"

"Like either one of them can sit still for that long." I laughed. Esme laughed too and began to regale Bella with stories of our horrible sportsmanship. Even Edward was laughing when she ratted us out for our cheating.

Bella was actually very good at chess. I outmaneuvered her eventually, but not without effort. I was about to challenge her to a rematch, when Edward dropped his bomb on Esme.

"So…guess what Bella and I are doing this weekend?"

"Oh I know!" Alice raised her hand like she was in a classroom and waved it around as if waiting to be called upon.

Edward grinned, "Um, Alice? Do you know the answer?"

"You are going to Florida to see Bella's mom!"

Esme gasped excitedly, "Are you really?"

"Yes," Bella was trying to look excited but was really…annoyed. I didn't understand. Why wouldn't she be happy about seeing her mom? I looked at Edward and thought to him, _'Does she know about the fight?'_

He shook his head very slightly. Well if that wasn't it, what was wrong?

"Charlie seemed a little concerned about the 'propriety' of me visiting Renee with Bella." He said wryly.

"Oh, that's ridiculous. You _will_ be on your very best behavior, won't you Edward?" Esme glared at him.

He grinned wickedly, which caused Bella to blush profusely. "Of course we will Esme!" Bella said shakily. I sent her a wave serenity to ease her embarrassment. If only she knew what we knew. Edward would never lay a hand on her that was out of line. His manners were impeccable, and so was his record. Edward's lasting virginity was a common-known fact among us. Her virtue was definitely safe. Emmett and I may have to talk to him about that…

Edward shot me a deadly look. Oops. Apparently I was thinking a little too loudly. He stood up and took Bella's hand.

"I believe you promised Charlie I would bring you home early love. Perhaps we should go?"

"Yeah, I think you are right. He is already in a bad mood." She said reluctantly as she stood up too. She hugged Alice and Esme goodbye and smiled warmly at me. I knew she wasn't afraid, but rather trying not to make me uncomfortable. She and I were going to be great friends when she was a vampire. I wished I could be more at ease around her now, but I wouldn't risk a replay of her birthday last year. I wanted her to know how much she meant to me, to all of us. I would show her by taking Victoria apart. I would never let anything or anyone harm my family, and I now counted Bella among us.

--

Carlisle and Edward could not seem to agree on the wolf issue. We had gathered the family together to figure out our strategy, and they had been vehemently expressing their opinions on the werewolves. "I think it's only right that we inform them of the situation. Especially if Alice thinks we are going to be close to the treaty line. If they notice a battle going on-which they will-we don't want any mistakes." Carlisle insisted

"Absolutely not," Edward growled. "I want this to be handled by us, so that we know it gets done properly. If the damn wolves hear about this, they will involve themselves. I refuse to allow them to create any distraction that may give Victoria a way to escape." He slammed his fists down onto the dining room table, earning himself a hiss and glare from Esme.

"Edward, be reasonable. The wolves will smell us in the woods anyway. They will know something is going on and investigate. When they see a bunch of vampires tearing each other apart they are going to attack first and ask questions later. We don't want to take any chances in losing her, I agree, but I believe there will be a better chance of her getting away with us watching our backs for angry werewolves." Carlisle argued.

Our family was split down the middle, with Carlisle, Esme, and Rosalie on one side and Edward, Emmett and Alice on the other. I was torn. Carlisle's argument made sense, but I truly believed that with the right strategy we wouldn't be fighting long enough to cause alarm. By the time the wolves got there, Victoria would be taken care of and we could explain then if it was necessary…we just had to be sure to stay on our side of the line.

I spoke up, finally, and explained my idea. We would create a collapsing line, positioning ourselves several hundred feet apart and closing in around her. As I was talking Alice's eyes glazed over.

"Oh, it is going to work! I saw us surrounding her, right by the treaty line. I can't see past that though." She pouted prettily.

"Good enough for me," Edward said and looked to Carlisle for confirmation. Carlisle didn't look totally convinced, but he agreed.

I pulled out a map of the area where Alice saw us fighting and starting making little marks where I thought each of us should start from. Edward caught my eye, and I felt a surge of uncertainty pour from him. I tried to keep a calm state of mind and reached out to him with my thoughts, '_Edward, I swear it will be fine. The plan is solid. I promise you I will create an ironclad strategy and she will be taken care of. This is what I do best. Trust me.' _He relaxed slightly and watched avidly as we discussed the best approach.


	23. The Battle Line

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight _or to any of its characters.

Thank you for reading, and for your reviews-they definitely help stoke the writing fire!

Chapter 23-The Battle Line

It was time. We were getting ready to leave for the fight with Victoria. I was completely confident that we would be back in less than an hour, having quickly defeated and disposed of her. I waited patiently at the front door with the map. Everyone else was taking forever. Emmett was ready first. He displayed this by army-crawling into the front hallway. He was in full camouflage with shoe polish on his cheeks. I shook my head in awe.

"Emmett, what the Hell is this?" I asked him in shock.

"We are going into battle, I don't want the enemy to see me until I'm ready to reveal myself." He said proudly flexing his muscles and spinning for the full effect.

"Emmett, the enemy is a _vampire_. She'll be able to smell you." I couldn't believe what I was looking at…though I had to give him points for enthusiasm.

"I…whatever Jasper! You're just mad that someone else has stellar tactical ability in the family!" He yelled defensively.

"You are completely right Emmett. I bow down before your military prowess." I said sarcastically. If Emmett wanted to wear a ballerina's tutu it wouldn't make a difference, my plan was perfect-so I let it go. Thankfully everyone else was finally ready.

"Be nice Jasper, he is only trying to help. I think it's brilliant Emmett." Esme smiled.

"Emmett, that is…um…an interesting outfit you have on." Carlisle stuttered out as he snuck a quick glance my way. I just shrugged and shook my head.

"Rosalie, please tell me you didn't buy him that." Alice said disgustedly. She hated any form of ugly or unfashionable clothes in the house. The fact that someone snuck the camos in under her nose was definitely irritating to her.

"Of course not," Rosalie bit out. "Emmett that is not what I picked for you to wear. Where did you get that?"

"Newton's" he proudly flexed again. "I told them I was taking up hunting."

Rosalie's glare dissipated as he showed off his muscles, and was replaced by lust. I quickly grabbed Emmett by the back of the neck and pushed him toward the door.

"Can everyone please focus," I pulled out the map and showed everyone where their starting marks were. "This is where we will start. When you are in position we will wait for Victoria to get in range of us. If Alice's vision holds true, she should come through here." I pointed at the place on the map directly between my position and Emmett's. I was counting on the fact that she would walk right between us. "The rest of you will slowly start to fold in around us to make sure she can't backtrack. When everyone is positioned around her we will herd her away from the treaty line and close the circle. We want to be as far from the line as possible, so Alice will be able to see any potential problems…not there will be any." I was completely confident. "It should happen fairly quickly."

"Damn right there won't be any!" Emmett scaled over the steps and jumped into the front yard, dropping into a completely unnecessary roll. I rolled my eyes and followed him out the door, choosing to take the stairs in the traditional manner.

"Please be careful everyone." Esme hugged each of us. It was overly dramatic, but we indulged her as children do for their parents when they are over-reacting.

"Hands in everyone," Emmett insisted. We all just stared at him. "Fine, lets just go party poopers." He grumbled. "The one time there's anything fun to do…" he started walking through the yard to the trees.

"Okay lets get moving."

And then we were running. The trees whipped past me and I smiled as I compared this to my human life when a march into battle took days or weeks. This was infinitely better. Not just because of the speed or the agility, but because I had something in this life that I hadn't had in my last one. I had the burning desire to protect what was mine. My love for my family burned in me and propelled me forward even faster. I could not let Edward down. He trusted me. I slowed down as I approached my position. I could only slightly hear Emmett approach his place several hundred meters to my left flank, and Alice take hers to the right. Now all we had to do was wait.

It didn't take long. I could smell her. She was several meters away, and moving slowly. I stayed perfectly still. I had warned everyone to stay as still as possible until she was in range. The less we moved around, the less likely it was that the wind would carry our scent to her and tip her off to our location. I was sure she sensed we were here, or she wouldn't be moving so slowly. _Damn_.

Then I saw her…the same instant that she saw me, and the same instant that the wind shifted. Her eyes widened as she realized I wasn't alone. This was not good. I stepped forward and to my right, trying to get her to mimic my movement. If I could circle her so that she was in my original position, the others would have her cornered. It wasn't the original plan-but it would work. She watched me but didn't move a muscle. Her eyes narrowed as I repeated my movement. She stepped backwards instead of to the right. _Damn! We are too close to the treaty line!_ I have to try something else…

I sent out waves of calming energy, hoping she would relax enough to drop her defenses. She stared curiously at me as I inched forward. I was so close. I held her in my gaze, widening my eyes and sending serenity through her. Alice always said I was at my most compelling when I did this. She also said that I was so hot it was impossible to look away. I usually just laughed when she said this, but right now I was praying it was true. She needed to keep her eyes on me, since I was sure the others were closing in quickly. My eyes burned into her like molten Amber, I let a soft smile drift across my lips to insinuate lust. She appeared thoroughly dazzled and seemed to have forgotten about smelling any other vampires. I inched even closer…I could sense the others now. _We SO have her! _

Then it all came crashing down. Three things happened simultaneously: I accidentally sent a wave of excitement(because I was, in fact elated), the wind picked up sending a gust that was permeated with our scent and three werewolves showed up growling from the other side of the line. Victoria snapped out of her reverie and into action. She backed away from me quickly, only to turn and see the wolves behind her. The rest of the family had emerged from the shadows, knowing that the façade was over. I motioned for them to spread out, which they did. Victoria seemed to sense that there was a boundary-because she was standing on it and refusing to move in either direction. She looked back and forth between us and the wolves, as if trying to decide what her chances were.

Apparently Emmett got tired of waiting, because he made a lunge for her. He moved quickly, but she was faster. She dodged his attack, causing him to tumble across the line…and into a large, pissed off gray werewolf. The wolf snarled and lunged toward Emmett, forgetting completely about Victoria. Rosalie hissed and lunged after them, but Emmett was quick and agile despite his size. The wolf missed and when he turned angrily to attack again he saw Rosalie crouched and ready to pounce-right beside a snarling Emmett. The other wolves positioned themselves behind the big gray one, ready to fight. I saw Alice move toward them out of the corner of my eye and grabbed her arm, pulling her tightly to my side.

"Rosalie, Emmett-STOP!" Carlisle yelled out. "Please, we are only here to dispose of the red-headed vampire. She is extremely dangerous." He addressed the wolves. They didn't seem interested in listening to whom we thought was dangerous. The growling continued.

"Carlisle get them back on this side of the line, and lets sort this out before she gets away!" I yelled. Carlisle physically dragged Rosalie back across to our side of the line, knowing that with Emmett in the state he was, that he would definitely stop whatever he was doing to protect his mate. He was right. Emmett stared at Carlisle's hand on her arm and then looked pointedly into his eyes. After realizing it was Carlisle, and what he was trying to do he came quietly. I sent waves of calm out to settle everyone down.

Carlisle took a deep breath of my calmness and started again. "The female we were attempting to capture is dangerous. She is here to kill Bella Swan." That seemed to strike a note with them, because the leader and Jacob both changed immediately to their human forms.

"No shit bloodsucker. Now get the hell out of the way before she gets away and goes after Bells." Jacob said in a soft, murderous voice. His emotions were…disturbing. He was in love with her. I let it go for the time being and focused on the most important task-catching Victoria.

"I take it from your tone that you are aware of the situation then-and also that you don't care that we have a common enemy. I suggest we each stay on our own side of the treaty line and flush her out. The target is our main objective, not a seventy year old quarrel. Let's find her-we can fight amongst ourselves later." I spoke calmly and emitted strong waves of serenity. Thankfully my talent seemed to be effective on them-which they seemed irked about.

"Fine. After _we _clean up _your_ mess by disposing of the creature, we will discuss your violation of the treaty leeches." Jacob bit out.

"Shut it Jake," the leader said. He then turned to address us, "We will continue our pursuit on this side of the line. Am I correct in assuming that you have no objection to her death? I would not want to violate the terms of the agreement our ancestors set in place with you."

"No, there is no question that she must be destroyed. Use any means necessary for her capture." Carlisle was all business now, which shocked me. I knew he was against violence and was fully prepared to make the call for her death in his stead.

"Agreed. I have a request, however. She appears to have been running directly _on_ the line. We would like to follow her path exactly to keep the scent. Are you okay with that? We wouldn't cross to your side, but we would be close." Sam said in an equally businesslike manner. I wished that they would hurry before we lost the trail.

"Agreed-as long as you overlook that little misunderstanding from before."

"Fine. Lets go." Sam answered despite the dirty look he got from the gray wolf. Then Jacob and Sam phased back to wolf form and we were all running north.

She had run straight up the line so it only made sense that if we didn't catch her, the wolves would. At least I hoped. I no longer felt completely confident. I knew we were well equipped to handle one female vampire, but I preferred having a plan. I would never have gone into battle without one. All variables needed to be accounted for…even the stupid wolves. I had been too conceited about my battle expertise. I should have made a contingency plan that we could fall back on. Now we were ruled by fate. Fate usually didn't scare me-I had a future seeing wife. Today however, the future was blank. My window into the future was fogged up by the presence of the wolves. I hoped we still had the upper-hand.

Then I saw a flash of red hair. The trail had, in fact led us directly along the line, but we had hit the coast. Victoria dove into the water-on the wolf side.

"Damn!" Emmett yelled. I turned to see the wolves on the other side-and they were not pursuing.

"Why are you stopping?" I asked frustrated. Sam phased to human form.

"Your kind is exponentially faster than us in the water. We would not be able to catch her, and if she turned to fight we would be unable to defend ourselves in the water."

"Well then let my brother and I cross to your side and follow her." I suggested. "We will technically not be on your land-just in your water. The treaty will be honored-technically." Emmett stepped forward excitedly.

"I am afraid that isn't possible. My concern for my entire tribe is great. I can not put them in danger. If the red head emerges on our shore you can be sure we will take care of her, as for now it appears she is out of reach."

"She is not out of reach. We can still get her. Please," I asked stubbornly. "I know you are distrusting of our kind, but we mean your tribe no harm. We only want to capture and kill Victoria."

"I cannot allow you to cross the line, especially in your frame of mind. You have already admitted you are violent."

"We are violent, just as you are when it comes to protecting our loved ones. Victoria is hunting Bella, and we must protect her. I know you care about Bella too. Please trust us this one time." Carlisle argued.

"Perhaps you should have thought about the danger your presence would have on Bella before you involved yourselves in her life. If you wish to protect her-leave her alone. All the harm that has happened in her life is because of you. You may not cross." Then Sam phased back to wolf form.

I heard Emmett let out a long string of profanity, and Esme scolding him behind me. I felt the pack's feeling of superiority. But everything seemed to be happening under water to me. I had failed. I had never lost a battle. I had promised Edward I would take care of this, and here I was watching Victoria swim away.


	24. Absolution

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight _or to any of its characters.

THANK YOU so much for you interest in my story! I am thrilled that you guys like it…and I'm ecstatic that I've been nominated for 'The light and the dark' award from The Denali Coven. Please take a minute and vote for me via the link on my profile page-voting starts May 15th.

Chapter 24-Absolution

I couldn't believe it. I had created the perfect plan…and it had failed. I wanted to single-handedly take out that werewolf pack. They had ruined everything, and then walked away smugly. I couldn't believe those prejudice bastards could not put our differences aside for one day. The treaty had been created seventy years ago-that is plenty of time for them to see we are not human hunting vampires. Why couldn't that little piece of information get conveniently passed down with the rest of their vampire stories? _They_ were murderers too. Their tribe has killed our kind for generations.

The rest of the family had dispersed after the confrontation with the wolves. Not me. I was going to patrol the line until she came back. I didn't care how long that took. It wasn't like I needed sleep, and eventually something warm-blooded and furry would run close enough to me that I could feed. I was going to man this line until my mission was complete. The rain started coming down ferociously as I paced back and forth on the invisible boarder. I barely noticed and forced myself to keep my thoughts only on Victoria. I concentrated on every smell I encountered.

This had been going on for several hours when I smelled something I would know anywhere. My Alice. I couldn't see her but I knew she was there. "Alice," I started quietly. "What are you doing here?"

"What a warm welcome." She snapped. "I came to find you because I can't see you when you are basically sitting on the damn treaty line. The proximity of the werewolves makes you invisible, which makes your _wife_ uncomfortable."

"I know that Victoria can sense a boundary here. She thinks it is a safe spot and she will come back. I intend to be waiting for her when she does."

"Jasper, that could take days or weeks. Look at how long she waited to return after the last time." She softened her tone. "Just come home. No one blames you."

I felt her pity and it fueled my angry fire. "If it takes days or weeks, I will wait that long. Maybe none of you blame me, but that doesn't change the fact that our future sister is being hunted and I dropped the ball".

"We _will_ get Victoria. But we aren't going to get her today. Please come home." She was soaked, and I looked guiltily at the rain streaming down her face. Had she been human it would have been mingled with tears. She wasn't human though, she was a vampire, a predator. Just like me. I was not coming home without my prey.

"Go home Alice," I said firmly. I felt her feelings surge when I said it, and I felt bad. I wasn't taking it back though.

"Jasper you are being unreasonable. Bella is my best friend. If this was the way to take care of the problem, I would be standing there next to you-but it's not. You are using that as an excuse because you are pissed off that your plan didn't work, and you think that if you come home with Victoria's death on your hands that it will somehow vindicate you. Stop acting like a stubborn ass and let's go home." She said angrily, clenching her fists in frustration. _Damn_, she knew me so well.

I closed the difference between us in three quick strides. I looked desperately into her eyes, trying to make her understand. I grasped the sides of her face and waited. Our vision should be starting…but it wasn't. The rain ran down our bodies as I stared at her in confusion.

"It's the line. We are too close for me to see." She knew what I was looking for, and I could tell by the regretful look in her eyes that she wanted it too. We rarely fought, or even raised our voices at one another, but when we did it always ended up like this. With both of us searching for answers and absolution in each others eyes in lieu of fighting for them like most couples. I dragged her away from the line and kissed her roughly. I moved my lips down her neck as I backed her against a tree several meters from the treaty line. I put my hands gently on her wet cheeks and lowered my mouth to hers again.

"I'm sorry," I whispered against her lips. I ran my hands down the sides of her body letting them rest at her tiny hips. Her arms flew around my neck and she kissed me back ferociously. She tasted like heaven, like redemption. If this angel loved me, I wasn't a failure. I pulled back slightly and gazed into her eyes. She gasped and I knew she saw it. I _felt_ that she saw it. Her love came at me in waves, strong swaying waves. I breathed them in, letting them fill me. There was my answer. Always the same answer: Alice's love. It was what made me whole, it was what made me continue on with my life, it reinstated my faith in myself and my abilities.

It was the only thing that could have talked in me into leaving that line without killing Victoria. I broke eye contact with her. "Okay love, you win. Let's go home." She smiled and took a shaky step. I grinned, pleased at my effect on her. I couldn't wait to get her home. We ran through the pouring rain holding hands.

I froze when we hit the lawn in front of our house. I wasn't expecting Edward to be home yet, but he was. I could feel his rage. What was I doing? I should have stayed on that damn line and kept waiting…

"Jasper stop. You are just picking up on Edward's feelings. You know as well as I do that Victoria isn't going to come back right away."

"You're right," I said shaking my head to clear it. "He is livid though. I have a feeling it is going to be quite the scene in there. How opposed are you to staying out here in the rain?" I didn't think I could deal with any more emotions.

She giggled. "Come on love. It won't be that bad. Edward can be reasonable."

I stared at her with wide eyes.

"Okay, maybe he can't be reasonable. But we have to bring him up to speed, I've seen that he will react terribly if we don't tell him what happened soon."

"What? Haven't the others already done that?" I couldn't imagine that Edward would be there and _not _see what happened in everyone heads.

"Well, they are sort of blocking him, and he is sort of…destroying the house out of frustration." She admitted sheepishly.

"WHAT? I though you said he wouldn't react badly unless we didn't tell him _soon_!"

"He _isn't_ reacting badly. This is fine compared to what happened in my vision." She shuddered with a mock look of horror on her face.

"Alice, are you telling me that you knew that Edward was home and freaking out and you didn't warn me?"

"Yes," she looked apologetic. "I was afraid you wouldn't come home if I told you-and I hate when you get that close to the treaty line and I can't see you."

I groaned. Loudly apparently, because Edward heard me from inside and was standing in front of me four seconds later.

"What the hell has happened Jasper? Everyone is blocking me! I hate not knowing what's going on…" He yelled. His feelings were not driven by the anger I originally anticipated, but by fear. That I could deal with. I sent a surge of calming energy to my brother, and I could tell he was accepting of it because I immediately saw it working. As soon as he seemed rational I opened my mind to him… I concentrated on exactly what had happened. He watched it all unfold in my head, growling when he saw Victoria and again when he saw the wolves.

"There were some…problems Edward." I said apologetically.

"So it would seem," He replied tersely.

"I'm so sorry. The plan should have worked…"

"I am guessing that this is why you are all blocking me out?" He asked turning to look at the rest of the family.

They nodded solemnly in perfect synchronicity.

"Perhaps I would not have reacted so…unbecomingly if you hadn't waited so long to tell me." He growled.

Everyone's eyes nearly fell out of their heads at his preposterous claim. He definitely still would have over-reacted. Apparently he could see what we were getting at and sighed. "I apologize for the uh, mess Esme. I will fix everything I promise. As to the…_problems _I can't say I'm completely surprised. No offense Jasper," he added quickly. "I just had a feeling this was not going to be an easy feat. That was my secondary reason for taking Bella away. I didn't expect Victoria to do what we expected her to. I did track her if you recall."

"Not well either Edward," Emmett accused. "None of us know what to expect out of her. We did everything we could without breaking the damn treaty. If you want to blame someone-try the wolves."

"I realize that Emmett, I meant to point out that perhaps we have _all_ underestimated Victoria. Let's make sure we don't do it again. She will be back and we will have to figure out a way around the wolves before then" He looked calm and collected now-but his emotions betrayed him. He was terrified…so of course he did the only thing he could do.

"I'm going back to Bella's," He said quietly. "I can't leave her alone knowing that Victoria is still out there." He excused himself and was gone. With him went most of the scattered emotions. I breathed a sigh of relief, and put my arm around Alice. I empathized with Edwards fear. Were I in his shoes, I could never leave her alone either.

We walked together into the house. I blinked as I looked around. There was broken glass everywhere…and broken sofa everywhere. Broken sofa? Had Edward truly shredded the couch to this extent? I glanced at Alice questioningly. She shook her head subtly and glanced up at Esme.

"Well, I guess he won't be cleaning this up. Of course, I believe he should be with Bella right now but…" Esme said.

"Do you need some help Esme?" I offered chivalrously.

"Thanks," she said gratefully. "That would be wonderful". I smiled and went to grab a broom. Together she and I silently cleaned the carnage up, basking in each others mood. She was quiet, calming, motherly and she loved us wholeheartedly. It was easy to be around her.

"You must not take yourself so seriously Jasper. I realize how you must feel. Your plan was excellent dear. You couldn't have known how the events would unfold." She said kindly.

"I know Esme. I am a soldier though. I feel like it's my duty to protect my loved ones."

"And you do. You will create an even better plan and we will catch Victoria." She seemed so confident…

And for now, while I crouched in a pile of glass, I believed her.


	25. Love Is A Battlefield

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight _or to any of its characters.

Thank you everyone for the reviews and for your continued interest! Love me more!! Tell me what you think…

Chapter 25- Love Is A Battlefield

I was reading the newspaper, focusing my attention on the Seattle newborn issue in lieu of beating myself up over the Victoria issue. The death toll was still rising. It was so strange…I hadn't seen anything like this since…

"Carlisle, Jasper, Emmett, Alice, Rosalie, Esme-where is everyone?" Edward had just walked back in through the door. _Great, just when I thought it was safe._ "I'm sorry Jasper," he whispered. "I know my emotions must be slightly overwhelming, but can you please come here for a second?"

I put the paper down and walked slowly down the stairs, monitoring the emotions below me as I approached. I saw Edward standing in the front hallway. He was soaking wet and he was apprehensive. Had something happened? Did Victoria show up at Bella's?

"No, it isn't anything like that Jasper. I just have a feeling that we are going to have a problem with Jacob Black."

"What kind of problem?" I asked cautiously.

"Well, when I dropped Bella off earlier her father told her that the dog had been calling all damn day. Then, when she spoke with Jacob he didn't seem to have anything urgent to say. Bella thinks he is under the impression that I took her away for the weekend to change her."

"Well, that doesn't make sense," I said quickly. A sick feeling was starting in my gut as I remembered something I felt from Jacob. I quickly started rambling. "I mean if you were going to change her, you couldn't possibly have brought her back right?" I asked nervously.

"Obviously not." He said, giving me a strange look. "Besides the fact that she would look blatantly different, it would be years before she could control her blood lust enough to be around humans…but you already know that Jasper."

"So, I guess Jacob must have just not known that." I had to play this off. If he pulled out of my mind what I felt from Jacob…

"Of course Jacob would know that. He was probably guessing she wouldn't be coming home and was calling so frequently because he wanted to prove his theory. Something still feels wrong about it though. Did you notice anything odd when Carlisle was speaking with them?" He asked desperately.

"Um, I'm not sure," I was stalling and he could tell. His eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean? You _did_ see something," he accused.

"No! I didn't see anything…" _Shit…Um…A-B-C…no! Um…We are young, heartache to heartache. We stand no promises…What the hell am I singing? Shit…Alice, Alice, Alice…_

"What is it then? Why are your thoughts so jumbled? Are you blocking me on purpose?"

"No…I'm not trying to block you." _Alice, Alice, Alice…_

He stared into my eyes. "Please tell me whatever you know." He asked quietly.

I sighed. There was no way he was going to let this go. "Edward, I don't know if this even has anything to do with why Jacob is calling her."

"Please, Jasper,"

"When we met the wolves at the boundary the other day, they were very territorial-as you know. Jacob Black was especially territorial though, and I felt…well…"

"What?"

"He is in love with her Edward," I said bluntly. If he wants it, here it comes. I focused on my memory of what I picked up on from Jacob. He growled and swore under his breath. I sent some waves of serenity to him, taking deep breaths to stay centered and not let him drag me under with him. He was taking the news shockingly well. Well, for Edward anyway.

"He loves her. And…what? He is going to fight for her?"

"You know I can't tell what he is going to do about it. I only know that he does."

"I am going to kill him." He moved suddenly for the door. I grabbed his arm and tried to talk some sense into him.

"Edward, you can't kill him, think about the treaty. Carlisle won't allow it."

"Carlisle would kill him too if it were Esme." He shook his arm free from my grasp and ran his hand through his hair angrily.

"No he wouldn't. If she was hurt, then yes, he would probably kill him-but Bella hasn't been hurt. She may not even know how he feels about her."

"He knows how _I_ feel about her. He had better keep his feelings, and his hands to himself." He raged. I took another deep breath.

"Edward, can you blame him? Bella is amazing. Half the guys in school are probably in love with her."

"I know that. I have to listen to their deranged thoughts about her everyday. Four of them actually love her, the rest are more interested in her…THAT IS NOT THE POINT!! They weren't the ones she spent her time with. He is the shoulder she cried on. There has to be some connection of course…" His voice broke and his eyes grew wide.

"Edward, you know that you are the one she loves. I am telling you straight out that I have felt the way she feels. It IS you. You are the only one she loves." I grabbed his shoulders and shook him. He shook his head.

"Jasper, she deserves better…"

"Oh, no you don't. You are not doing this again. Get over the inferiority complex. I believe we have all seen firsthand that there is no life for Edward and Bella when they're apart." I was talking to him slowly like he was a child, because he kept shaking his head like he was one. Finally I had enough. I stared in his eyes and dredged up my memories of Edward's catatonic days on his piano bench. I waited until I felt the switch in emotions so I knew he saw it. "You know I'm right Edward. Play this smart. Bella probably doesn't even know…"

"Maybe she deserves to though. Maybe she should know she has options other than a ninety year old teenaged vampire who has no soul. Maybe she wants a life, with kids and…"

"She wants you. Even if you wish she wanted more." I said quietly. He was finally silent. I had called him out. He loved her so much that he wanted her to have the best. It was too bad he didn't see himself as clearly as others did. If he did, he would see why we were so proud to be his family, why Bella loved him and why we all put up with his over dramatic nature.

"Stop analyzing me in your head. I know you all care for me. I'm not going to do anything crazy. We both know that I can't ever leave her again." He grimaced, "Does it get easier?"

"Does what get easier?"

"Watching other men drool over the love of your life."

I snorted, "Wait until she is a vampire."

He glared at me and I laughed.


	26. Hey Jealousy

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

Thank you for all of your reviews! I love you all!

Chapter 26- Jealousy

I laughed to myself as I walked away from Edward and decided to seek out my own personal source of jealous torment. She was in our room shopping for the hypothetical wedding again. _Damn. _I paused in the doorway trying to decide if I should make up an excuse and escape, or if I should try to coax her away from her laptop and credit cards. She spun around suddenly, with a look of feigned anger.

"Just so you know Jasper, I've already seen that if you sneak away-your wife notices and becomes extremely irritated. However, I have also seen that if you decide to stay and…distract me, we both end up having a considerably better day." She smiled wickedly, with waves of lust rolling toward me. My eyebrows shot up and I grinned, as I walked toward her.

She looked beautiful. Her hair was dark and shining like satin. I ran my hand through it and marveled at its contrast against my skin. Every time I touched her was as amazing as the first time. She sighed softly and turned her face to kiss the palm of my hand.

"Excellent choice my love," She whispered against my pale flesh. She looked up at me from her chair. Her golden irises pierced into me, and her emotions seduced me into lowering my head to kiss her. I ran my tongue over her bottom lip, threading both hands into her hair. She bit my top lip gently as she ran her hands up the back up my shirt. I shuddered slightly, and pulled her up into my arms. I carried her to our bed, never taking my lips from hers. I lay back, pulling her down on top of me. She snaked her hands between us to unbutton my shirt. I wanted to feel her hands on me _now. _I covered her hand with mine and was about to rip the shirt to shreds, when she stopped suddenly and glared at me.

"Jasper Whitlock, that shirt is a _vintage _Versace. How dare you even think about…"

I covered her mouth with mine again and rolled on top of her. I indulged her clothes fetish and carefully pulled her shirt over her head. It looked like a lacey black tank top to me, but knowing her Madonna wore it in 1989 or some such nonsense. I waited patiently as she removed my shirt with a slowness that almost ached. She was a vampire for Christ's sake, why was it taking so long to undo buttons? I growled lowly in her ear and she giggled.

"Patience love," She sang in her beautiful high pitched voice.

"No." I slapped her hands away playfully even though the buttons were all opened. I moved my hands to her hips. She was wearing jeans that barely came to her hipbones. I gasped. _Why do I let my wife out of the house like this? _The thought was errant and quickly taken over by desire though. I slowly kissed my way down her neck to her chest. I felt her hands on my chest and shuddered. She ran them down toward my waistband, scratching her nails down my stomach. She was killing me. I had to have her now. I moved my lips to her hipbones, leaving kisses along them as I unbuttoned her jeans. I peeled them down her perfect legs, kissing every bare inch of flesh that I revealed. She was writhing next to me, as anxious as I was. She sighed impatiently as I stood up to remove the rest of my clothing and flip the lock on the door.

"Why are you locking the door?" She asked, confused at my random choice. We usually never locked any doors in the house. It really was unnecessary, our family tried to respect one another's privacy for the most part. Still though, if Emmett burst through the door while I was…Oh I'd kill him.

"I know they all heard me lock it," I shrugged. "I want no interruptions." I purred to her. I let my eyes rove over her picturesque form. She giggled under my scrutiny.

"Emmett and Edward are going hunting. I had a vision of them leaving in a few minutes."

"Them coming in here to ask us to join them would be a perfect example of distractions I wish to avoid for the next few hours."

I loved her more than I could ever tell, but I was damn well going to try to show her. I crawled across the bed and lost myself in Alice.

We stayed in bed all morning, wrapped up in each other. It was the most peace I'd felt in a long time. It didn't last of course. Something other than Alice and I always came between Alice and I.

"Oh my God, Bella!" She gasped suddenly.

"What is it love?"

"She's gone! I can't see her future! Edward is going to freak, or kill me, or kill her…" She was panicking. I pulled her against my chest and filled her with as much serenity as I could. When she relaxed, I released her.

"Now think clearly, Alice. When was the last time you could see her?"

"Right after I saw the vision of Edward and Emmett going hunting. I checked to make sure it was safe. She was fine then…" Her eyes darkened in fury.

"What is it? What happened?"

"Don't you see? The only time I can't see the future is when the damn Quileute werewolves are around-or involved. She waited for Edward to leave and then snuck down to La Push to see the dog." She was infuriated, I saw it all over her face. Inside though, she was terrified.

"Well, this is certainly not how I hoped the rest of today was going to go." I looked longingly at the abandoned pillows.

"Jasper, are you serious right now? She could be killed!" She hissed at me as she grabbed for her clothes.

"I'm sorry, you are right, of course. I'm just dreading the fallout. Edward is already sort of…put out with Jacob Black."

"What?" She spun to look at me with a stunned expression on her face.

"Well, when we were on the treaty line with them the other day, I felt Jacob's emotions when he spoke about Bella. As it happens, he is in love with her." I admitted.

"Oh. That is…not good. Why exactly could you not keep that little emotional tidbit to yourself?" She groaned.

"Trust me, I tried. I hate to have to be the one to break this to you, but Edward can read minds Alice." I bit out sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes and reached for her phone.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"Well we have to call him. If something happens to her, I'll never forgive myself."

_Damn. _

I watched silently as she dialed the number…the number to all Hell breaking loose.

I heard Edward's voice on the other end, "What's up Alice?"

"Edward, are you sitting down?" She asked sweetly.

"Why, yes Alice. I am just sitting out here in the woods with Emmett. We have knocked over a tree and are using the stump for a tea party. Of course I'm not sitting down, I'm trailing a mouthwatering Mountain Lion right now. Did you need something?" He sounded incredibly lighthearted…

"Actually, Edward, I, Um,"

"Spit it out Alice. What is wrong?" I heard his voice darken. _Damn. Here it comes…_

"I think Bella might be in danger."

"WHY DO YOU THINK THAT, ALICE?" He roared. I cringed. I knew from the sound of his voice exactly what his emotions were going to feel like when he got home.

"Her future is gone. Which leads me to believe that she is…in the vicinity of a werewolf."

"In the…vicinity? So, she's at La Push? She SPECIFICALLY went against my wishes."

"Well, we don't know for sure that she's there Edward. It's only a guess."

"Why else might you not be able to see her?"

"Well, she might be…never mind that. She's probably there." She said quickly.

"Alice are you saying, she's either _dead or with a werewolf who might kill her?_"

"Um…yes." She said quietly.

"I'm going to the reservation. To Hell with the damn treaty." _DAMN. _I shook my head emphatically, and waved my hands, '_Stop him.' _I mouthed

"Wait! You can't just go there Edward." She said lamely. "You will be completely outnumbered. Meet us at the treaty line." _DAMN. DAMN. DAMN. 'What are you DOING?' _I mouthed again.

"Alice," he started to argue, but she snapped her phone shut. I glared at her.

"What the Hell was that? We can't break the treaty."

"We aren't going to. We are going to meet him there, then _you_ are going to either calm his emotions while _I_ talk sense into him or you are going to hit him over the head with something while I distract him." She disappeared into our enormous closet and reappeared fully dressed with an outfit for me in her hands.

"I most certainly will not." I crossed my arms over my bare chest.

She just stared at me.

Oh no. She was NOT going to win this one. I stared back stubbornly.

All of a sudden her eyes narrowed and I felt an overwhelming feeling of anxiousness.

"That was a low blow Alice!" I said crossly. I hated when she shot unnecessary feelings at me. "Fine, if you are that worried I will go with you. I think you are over-reacting though. And I am not hitting him over the head with anything. It wouldn't do anything to him anyway."

"It's what people always do in movies to incapacitate someone." She said innocently.

"He is a VAMPIRE, Alice. He's going to be so pissed about Bella he wouldn't notice if I threw a Mack truck at him." I smiled at her attempt at humor. I knew damn well she didn't believe we could knock Edward unconscious. Apparently, she did believe that she could win me over with her wit-and she was a hundred percent correct. I took the clothes from her and got dressed to wrestle my brother into submission.

The run to the treaty line took us only a few minutes, but he was already there. The look on his face told me that we would be fighting a losing battle if we tried to stop him. Emmett stood a few steps to Edward's right, looking windblown from what must have been the fastest run in a century. The idea came out of nowhere and I knew I had to just act-or it would be too late. I locked eyes with Emmett and we both pounced on Edward at the same time. Together we could barely hold him down.

"Get off of me you idiots!" He growled.

"Listen to me Edward, you know this is a bad idea. We can't let you break the treaty."

"You don't know how this feels right now! What if Alice was either dead or with a werewolf? What then?"

"Alice wouldn't be allowed over there, and neither would Bella if you would stop being a stubborn ass and change her already." Emmett had his legs and I had maneuvered myself so that I was kneeling on his shoulders. He kicked Emmett in the face and wriggled out from under me.

"I don't even know if I have to change her anymore! She may not be alive! I can't take this. I have to know." He would have been in tears, if he had any. I forgot how new this all was for him. He was over a hundred years old, but he didn't know what he was doing. I thought about what he was actually saying. His mate, his love was possibly in danger. He had a point.

"I understand what you are saying Edward." I said quietly. "Maybe there is another way though."

"How?" He asked darkly, but with determination.

"Edward, you say you can sense her in a crowd-hear her heartbeat even. Try it."

"You aren't serious." He scoffed. He turned away from me, angrily running his hand through his bronze locks.

"I am serious. Well, not about the heartbeat, but really-she can't be more than a mile or two away. Can you smell her? Or hear her?" I persisted.

"Yeah Edward, that's a good point. Try it!" Emmett encouraged.

He took a deep breath in through his nose, and closed his eyes. We all watched and waited quietly.

Suddenly his head whipped up, "I _can_ smell her, I can't tell how far she is though. I think the wind carried the scent-it isn't strong." He looked relieved but only slightly.

"Can you hear her?" Alice asked.

"You know I can't hear her thoughts."

"Well, can you hear her voice? She obviously isn't all alone on the werewolf side of the treaty line. She must be talking to someone." Alice pleaded. She was almost as worried as Edward. I put my arm around her as we stood silently waiting.

"No. I think her voice is too soft. If only I could hear her damn thoughts, just this once so I would know she's okay." He cried out.

"So why don't you listen for Jacob Black's thoughts?" Emmett asked suddenly.

"Emmett that's brilliant! You can't hear Bella, but I bet you could hear him!" Alice was bouncing up and down excitedly.

Edward concentrated for a minute and then a dazzling, relieved smile broke out across his face. "I _can_ hear him, and she is with him. I definitely don't approve of what he's thinking, but he is in control of his dog side. I don't think he will hurt her as long as she doesn't say anything overly infuriating-a challenge for her I'm sure." He said dryly. It appeared that he had regained his full composure.

"Now what do we do?" Emmett asked excitedly.

"I'm not moving an inch from this spot until she leaves the reservation, the moment she gets across that line I will be waiting to speak with her."

"Are you sure you are okay? If we leave you aren't going to sneak across the line or anything stupid like that, are you?" I asked.

"We're leaving? No fight?" Emmett pouted.

"I'll call you if they try anything, Em."

Emmett was grumbling under his breath as he took off running toward home.

"Edward. I asked you if you were alright."

"I'm fine. It just feels…I feel betrayed, but not. I know she hasn't done anything dishonorable, but I feel…"

"Jealous."

"I am not jealous of the dog."

"Don't lie to the empath, Edward."

"I feel no threat what-so-ever from Jacob Black."

"Don't lie to your big brother either, Edward."


	27. Security

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

The APOLOGY: A million apologies for the extended delay in the updating of this story. To the best of my knowledge, we are back on track and you should never have to wait that long for an update again. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and marked this story as a favorite. You guys are the fuel to the fire!!

Chapter 27-Security

Emmett would not shut up. He was, apparently "starving" because of his interrupted hunting trip. The minute we'd gotten back to the house the complaining had begun.

"Emmett, you are not starving. Your eyes are almost completely gold. We both know that means you are fine." I snapped at him. I was extremely irritated by his complaining for some reason. Maybe it was from being interrupted from my own "peaceful" afternoon with Alice to chase after my idiot brother who couldn't control his feelings.

"Apparently you _are_ starving Jazz. Your eyes almost match that attitude of yours." He snapped back.

"He is right love, you do look like you could do well with some hunting. I guess you are a little drained from this morning." Alice teased. I wound my arms around her, instantly calmed from my irritation. I nipped her ear and she squealed and smacked my arm.

"Okay, when shall we go?"

"Actually, I was thinking this weekend." She said innocently. Hmmm…that was odd. It wasn't like Alice to put hunting off when she thought I needed it. In fact, much to my distain, everyone in the family usually went out of their way to make sure my feeding was frequent enough that I wouldn't give in to my bloodlust. I cocked my head at her, waiting for an explanation.

"Alice," Emmett whined. "I can't wait that long."

"Of course you can silly. I've already seen it." She smiled broadly.

"Oh, okay Al. I'll tell my appetite to settle down, that the family psychic has seen that we don't need to feed yet." He grumbled sarcastically.

"Let's at least wait for Edward. He really needs to hunt and I don't think he will go if we don't force him." She said.

"Aw, come on. He is going to be at Bella's forever trying to convince himself that she is truly safe."

"Actually he will be home at 9:00." She said confidently.

"So we can go at 9?"

"No, we are going this weekend." She laughed as Emmett's face dropped from excitement into a scowl. "You know, I was shopping with Rose yesterday and she bought the cutest miniskirt. I almost told her not to buy it since it barely covered her…" Emmett was gone before Alice could even finish her sentence. As we heard their bedroom door slam upstairs she broke into laughter.

"Excellent distraction, Alice," I smiled. "Except now he may not be ready by the weekend." I was still waiting patiently for her to explain the delay in the hunting trip.

"I know you need to hunt Jasper, but do you mind terribly waiting for Thursday or Friday?" She was suddenly concerned and searching my face intently. Of course I didn't mind. I would wait a thousand years if Alice asked me too. I couldn't promise that people around me would be safe though. What if Edward brought Bella over?

"Alice…" I was so ashamed of my weakness. She deserved a much stronger man than I was.

"Don't worry, Bella won't be coming over before then. Just stick close to the house and there won't be any temptations. I promise you that you will be fine." She said lightly. She always tried to make it seem like no big deal. I wondered if she truly knew what I was capable of.

"Okay, Thursday or Friday then." I smiled. "How are you planning on convincing Edward to leave her again so soon after what just happened?"

"That is exactly why we need to wait a few days." Ah, now it all made sense. I understood her concern. Edward and Alice were very close. Their bond had been forged quite quickly-after the initial shock she had given him when she bounded into the Cullen's life. I think the closeness had a lot to do with their talents. No one else in our family could truly understand what they went through. They had discovered early on in their acquaintance, what Aro had discovered and coveted them for. If they combined their talent, they were able to be omnipresent in any situation. Edward was able to read someone's mind and what they were thinking of doing, and Alice would know what would happen if they actually did it. This ability is why we were able to stay in one place for as long as we did. As long as no one figured us out, we were safe. Alice and Edward were always on the alert.

Alice spent the rest of the afternoon on her laptop. She was planning some outrageous nonsense for graduation. I wanted nothing to do with it so I settled down to watch the news. The same story was _still_ dominating the report. I paid closer attention to what the news correspondent was saying. Oh, it was definitely the work of a newborn vampire…or two…or three? There had to be multiple players. No one was that bloodthirsty. Where the Hell was the creator? The question was burning in my mind. Whoever created the newborn(s) had obviously lost control of the situation. Maybe the newborns destroyed the creator…that would not be good. We should probably take a ride out to Seattle and scope out the situation before it gets worse. If the Volturi hear about this…that would also not be good. I watched, thinking over the extreme difference between those vampires and us. I had been like them once…I could…NO! Apparently I needed to hunt more than I'd originally thought. I can't believe that for a second I had considered…I looked over at Alice just in time to see her snap down to stare at her computer screen again. Apparently my decision to feed, no matter how fleeting, had not escaped her notice. I shut the T.V. I couldn't concentrate on the newborn story anymore, nor did I want to. Something about it was nagging at me…probably my thirst. Thankfully, Edward swept through the door. "Ah, the man of the hour, I half expected to see you wearing a wolf-skin hat little brother." I said dryly.

He glared at me, "If you aren't careful I will be wearing a Vampire-skin hat."

"Oh come on. We both know our skin is much too hard to make a hat out of." I said smiling. He rolled his eyes and started up the stairs, and Alice glared at me intensely. I sighed.

"Wait Edward, what do you say to a hunting trip this weekend?"

"You must be joking." He started back up the stairs.

"Not at all, actually I'm quite serious. You didn't hunt enough today and Emmett has been complaining that he's hungry all day."

"As much as I'd love to say yes, Bella has informed me that she will not be allowing me to keep her from her werewolf friends any longer." He said in a clipped tone. "That translates to: I'm never leaving her alone again."

"That's kind of selfish of her isn't it? I mean you need to hunt to survive, and being that she's…full of warm, fragrant bl—"

"Jasper! He's just a little off today Edward. What he's trying to say is that you need to hunt for your sake as well as for Bella's safety." Alice said quickly as Edward stared me down incredulously. What was my problem? I was no newborn. I had been dealing with my thirst for decades. I made a mental note not to watch the news when I was thirsty. Edward saw the news in my head as I realized what was causing my momentary lapse of reason and shook his head.

"Jasper what are you waiting for? Just go." He encouraged.

"I thought it might be fun if we all went…" I stalled, trying to figure out what Alice's plan was. Thankfully she jumped in.

"Yeah Edward, we haven't all gone together in so long! It will be fun." She said enthusiastically.

"I am not leaving her here alone. You guys go. Send me a postcard." He said darkly.

"You have to hunt too Edward. I'm not thirsty yet…I could hang around and keep an eye on Bella." Alice said innocently. Suddenly Edward's eyes lit up.

"That's not a bad idea. I mean, you would have to do more than just keep an eye on her…maybe we can bring her here." He mused. "She would be safer here…and if I've gone away hunting her father has no reason to disapprove about her spending the night."

"Oooh, we can have a slumber party!" Alice squealed.

"Alice, would you really be willing to help me?"

"Of course, silly. Bella is my best friend. Hanging out with her isn't a chore."

"What do you think she'd say to spending her time exclusively with you whenever I go hunting?"

"She is going to be considerably angry if you tell her she has to."

"I'm not going to tell _her_ she has to. I'm hoping she won't realize."

"Yeah right, Edward. Bella is smart. She's going to see right through that."

"Well, then how opposed are you to kidnapping?" He asked with a grin. She grinned back.

We spent the next hour carefully planning Bella's capture. Edward was going to say we weren't leaving until Friday, but we were actually going to leave from school on Thursday. Alice would pick Bella up in Edward's Volvo and bring her to the house where the female Cullen's would entertain her until we returned from our hunting trip. The plan was perfect. Alice saw that it would work. That did not prevent Edward from worrying. He spent every second that he wasn't with Bella preparing. The day before we were due to leave two major deliveries arrived at the house while Alice and Edward were in school.

At 10:00 am the doorbell rang. Emmett and I were home alone and it had been so long since we heard that sound that we just stared at it for several minutes before answering it. Finally I gathered my senses and opened the door. Three delivery men were standing on our porch holding pieces of what appeared to be a very large bed. They took one look at us and I could hear their hearts begin to race. That was the worst thing that could have happened. I tensed up, my mouth filling with venom. Thankfully Emmett was paying attention. Before I could do anything, he shoved me out of the way-the jostling helped wake me out of my blood soaked reverie. He showed the men where to leave the pieces of the bed and tipped them generously before pushing them out the door.

"Wave goodbye to the appetizers and help me carry this…_thing_ up to Edward's room." He said with a groan.

"How do you know its Edward's?"

"It's a bed. Do _you_ need one?"

"Um, does _Edward_?"

"Wow, you _are_ thirsty. Of course he doesn't. However Edward is the only person in this house who has the potential for a human sleeping in his room."

"Oh. I hadn't thought about that. Um…okay let's bring it up." I grabbed half of the pieces and Emmett grabbed the rest. We ran them upstairs and dumped them in the middle of the room.

"Should we put it together for him?" Emmett asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah, you go ahead and move his music collection and we'll put it there."

"_I'm_ not touching his music collection. _You_ move it." He looked at me like I was crazy. And it would be for either of us to touch anything in this room. It was stupid of us to be breathing in here so much. The sound of a car door distracted us and we walked over to the window. Rosalie had just pulled up…in a shiny canary yellow Porsche with dealer's plates. We looked at each other for a split second and then raced down the stairs completely abandoning the bed and any ideas of messing with Edward's belongings.

"Rosalie, sweetheart, I thought we agreed we weren't going to get any more cars for awhile." Emmett said incredulously.

"Sadly it doesn't belong to us. Edward asked me to pick it up. I believe it's a gift." She smiled at him.

"There's no way Bella's going to agree to drive that." Emmett gasped out.

"It isn't for Bella either. I believe that it's for Alice-a token of his appreciation for looking after Bella."

Emmett let out a low whistle. "I kept Jasper from eating a delivery man today. Where's my token?" he muttered under his breath.


	28. Lions, Tigers and Angry Grizzly Bears

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

Wow, you guys truly understand how to fuel the creative fire! Thank you for reviewing! I thought for sure you would have all forsaken me after such a delayed update-but you have astounded me! Add some more fuel to the fire…hint hint.

Chapter 28- Lions and Tigers and Angry Grizzly Bears…oh, my!

I was waiting patiently-sort of, in the woods behind Forks High School for Edward. I am usually extremely patient. I am usually not this hungry. I am usually not trying to hold my breath to avoid the bloody massacre of teenagers while Emmett shadowboxes with pretend bears. I was slowly losing whatever fragile hold I had upon my mind and appetite. What the Hell could be taking Edward so long? He had better not be making out with Bella…

"Hey, handsome," Alice whispered from behind me. I jumped. I hadn't even heard her sneak up on me. Probably due to Emmett, who was loudly panting and grunting. I grabbed her into a tight hug and glared at Emmett who barely noticed us.

"Where is Edward?" I trailed light, feathery kisses down her neck.

"He should be here in about forty three seconds." She smiled knowingly.

I took advantage of all forty three seconds crushing my lips against hers urgently. I was completely lost in Alice, so much so that I barely heard Emmett's gagging in the background.

"Ahem."

Edward had the most blasted timing. I ignored him. He had made us wait, so I felt absolutely no remorse for making him wait now.

"Jasper…"

I squeezed my eyes shut and felt Alice's shoulders shake slightly as she giggled to herself. I pressed lips harder down onto hers and wrapped my arms around her like an iron vise.

"Jasper I swear to God if you aren't running next to me in four seconds I will drain anything with a heartbeat." Emmett bellowed.

"I think you had better go Jasper," she gently extricated herself from my embrace.

"Alice-

"I will be fine, love," she said brightly. "Besides, I have a mission!"

"What about Bella? Can you see anything Alice?" Edward looked at her worriedly.

"Ugh, Edward! Stop being such a worrywart. Of course it will be fine." Alice groaned. Then she pecked me cheek quickly and was gone. I sighed as I gazed after her.

"Earth to Jasper. I WANT BEAR." Emmett said loudly, enunciating each syllable to make sure I got the message. I tried to give him a dirty look-but I really wanted some bear too, so it turned into a grin. We took off running.

The run was exhilarating. We stopped only once at the base of the mountain to meet up with Carlisle.

"Hello!" He called out brightly when he sensed our approach. "It took you boys long enough." He grinned when Edward and I both pointed at one another as the source of the delay. "Ah, I see."

"Yeah, they are turning into a bunch of sissies who can't say goodbye to their mates for one hunting trip." Emmett teased.

Edward's eyes shone, and I could feel his elation at Bella being referred to as his mate. I knew it was still a confusing time for him. He honestly did not want to change Bella, but he wanted to be with Bella every second for the rest of eternity.

"It isn't just that, Jasper." Edward was suddenly looking at me. I looked up confused. He laughed as he tapped his head. _Crap. He was listening to my thoughts. Now he's going to get all pissed off about Bella's change._ "I'm not mad actually." He looked thoughtful.

"What the Hell are you two going on about? I HATE when you do this!" Emmett was getting restless again.

"Jasper was picking up on my feelings about Bella and what the term 'mate' will mean for us. I was attempting to explain myself on the matter, but if no one is interested…"

Oh were we ever interested, and he knew it. This topic was usually forbidden by Edward. Carlisle tried to be casual about it, but there was no mistaking the burning curiosity in his eyes, "Please go on Edward." Of course Edward saw through him, and laughed lightly.

"I realize there is no other way for Bella and I at this point. I loathe, I abhor the idea of it though. I must be the most selfish man to ever live, die and live again. I can't ever lose her again. I don't know how I will get through seventy-two hours of her screaming…"

"Edward, you aren't being selfish. This is what Bella wants, and even though it isn't necessarily what you want for her you are going to let her have it." I reasoned.

"Jasper, of course I _want_ it. I just don't want to trade her soul for it. That's why I'm so selfish. I know exactly what she's giving up."

"Oh, shut up already Edward." Emmett said. "I'm tired of your toiling over this. Do you want us to make the call for you? I can just steal her from school, bring her to my hideout and change her…"

"Emmett, since when do you have a hideout?" Edward asked, baffled by the statement.

"The hideout isn't the point." He said quickly. "Do you want us to take the burden of deciding away?"

"No. It's been decided. The execution is what has me 'toiling' at this point."

"Edward, you know you can trust me." Carlisle said quietly. "No harm will come to her, and…I was thinking we could use morphine to ease some of the pain. We have time to plan this change. That has never been a luxury we've had before. It will be smoother than any of you remember your change being. Bella will know exactly what is happening to her, she will be calmer."

"Carlisle, I trust you. The fact is that Bella wants _me_ to be the one."

"Are you saying you two still haven't cleared up the marriage issue?" Carlisle asked.

"Do you see my ring on her finger?" He answered wryly.

"Well, Edward there is all of eternity for us to have a wedding or twelve for you and Bella." Emmett threw in. "Me and Rose do it all the time."

"No. I want human Bella to agree to marry me. It means…more somehow."

"We will help you prepare Edward," I jumped in. "Bella's change will go smoothly, and it will be you that does it. After a lavish wedding, of course."

They all looked at me.

"What? I'm married to Alice, okay?"

"Well that is that then." Emmett grinned. "Now…I'm starting to think you guys have forgotten how to hunt. You are stalling, right? You want me to show you how it's done?" That certainly got our attention. We ran southward, headed for a forest preserve in California. Edward had read in the papers that they were having a mountain lion issue in that area, so we were going to do our civic duty and help them out. Emmett still wanted a bear though, so we had to take the scenic route. When we found some, he went nuts, chasing them around happily before draining them. I was wiping the last droplets of my bear's blood from my lips when I heard Edward's laughter. He had chosen to save his appetite for the lions and had been waiting for us. We found him sitting casually on a large boulder in hysterics.

"What's got you so giddy? Did you drain a drunk rabbit or something?" Emmett asked him curiously. I was wondering myself. Edward was hardly the laugh out loud type…

"Listen to this." He held up his cell phone. Emmett and I both leaned in slightly and heard Bella's voice.

'_You are in trouble. Enormous trouble. Angry grizzly bears are going to look tame compared to what is waiting for you at home.'_ The beep sounded, indicating the end of the message.

"So," I smirked. "I guess Bella realized she was being held prisoner?"

"So it would seem." He smiled as he hauled himself off the boulder. "I suppose that means we ought to keep this party moving. I don't want her to get restless and do anything…inappropriate." His smile faded slightly.

"Define inappropriate." I said slowly.

"Ooh like porn?" Emmett asked at the same time.

"Of course not like porn!" Edward growled. "Like visiting werewolves!"

"Who's visiting werewolves?" Carlisle sauntered up, grinning wildly from his tangle with the bears.

"No one had better be." Edward said darkly. All traces of his previous humor gone.

"Edward, I realize as much as you how dangerous werewolves can be. However I think it might be prudent for you to consider how Bella feels about them." Carlisle said slowly.

"I know how _they_ feel about _her_."

"That isn't the point, Edward. Bella would never betray you. The point is that they were good friends to her. Whatever our history is with the Quileutes, is not the same as hers."

"Maybe Carlisle is right Edward. I honestly don't think Jacob Black has it in him to hurt her." I said slowly. I was treading carefully, not wanting to bring out any crazy emotions.

"I know she would never betray me. My only concern is for her safety. I wish Alice could see her when she was there…"

"Sometimes you need to take a leap of faith, Edward. Consider how you would feel if Bella suddenly did not trust your judgment." Carlisle said quietly.

"It would be ridiculous for to not trust me."

"Yeah, because you never make rash decisions or over react." Emmett snorted.

"All I'm saying is that if you want to be trusted, you need to offer your trust in return. You say you want to be married to Bella, you had better start learning about compromise." Carlisle said lightly. Emmett and I exchanged a look because we knew all too well how much compromise marriage took.

"You are telling me that I should let her hang out with young, volatile werewolves?" he asked incredulously.

"Do you like video games?" Emmett asked.

"What?" Edward was baffled.

"Take it from a guy who has spent many nights on the couch playing video games and learning the hard way Edward. Learn to compromise."


	29. More Than One Way To Get Excited

Path Of the Empath

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

Thank you for all the feedback! The fire is burning steadily…don't let it go down!

Chapter 29-More Than One Way To Get Excited…

Our run home was exhilarating. We were flying high on the fresh blood that coursed through our bodies as well as with the anticipation of returning home to the women who loved us. My own personal elation was magnified by Carlisle's, Edward's and Emmett's, and it felt amazing. For once I purposely let their emotions leak into me and propel me forward. I could feel the very vibration of each emotion as they settled into the base of my skull and radiated down my body. The power of it had me running almost as fast as Edward. He grinned at me as he heard the errant thought about my speed, and just to be obnoxious he drove himself even faster through the woods. I reached my feelings out to engulf more of the excited momentum in the air-thank God Emmett was in such high spirits because his strong emotions were what really gave me the extra edge. I felt the steam build in my system and unleashed it, keeping a steady pace with Edward. As much as I tried, I couldn't beat him though, and he was aware of it.

"Jasper, stop bleeding Emmett dry of excitement before he loses all desire to run and we have to carry him back to the house." He laughed, as he slowed slightly. I laughed too, as I slowed and released my attachment to the emotional vibrations surrounding me. A minute later Emmett and Carlisle were right behind us again.

"Did you lose again Jasper? Even while you were cheating?" Emmett joked.

"I did not cheat."

"How is using someone else's power to beat Edward, not cheating?" Emmett laughed.

"I didn't use someone else's power. I used mine. It's not my fault that my power let's me feel the extra excitement in the air."

"That is still like cheating."

"No, it isn't because my power doesn't let me win. If I absorb extra emotion and channel it to make me faster, it's still me running." I argued.

"It was cheating when Edward read your poker cards from your mind and took your money last week. He was just using his power…"

"I did not read his cards!" Edward defended. "It is not my fault that Jasper is a bad bluffer."

"You lie! I know for a fact you cheated because I can feel your guilt! And you know that I know because you are in my damn head again aren't you?" I was laughing as I pictured Edward's guilty cheating face for him too see. He laughed too, when he saw what he had looked like.

Carlisle shook his head, "I can't believe you two. Don't you have anything better to do with eternity than cheating at cards? You have immortality, endless funds and unsurpassed strength and intelligence. You are telling me this is how you spend your time?"

We were all laughing as we approached the house. It was late and the house seemed very…still. I looked at Edward to see if he heard anything.

"Esme is in your room reading, Carlisle." He paused listening again. Then he let out a low growl, "Rosalie is on the couch thinking about an extremely interesting conversation she had with Bella."

"What type of conversation?" Emmett asked reluctantly.

"She told Bella her story. The good and the bad. In great detail, it seems."

Emmett groaned, "I can see this night just went downhill. She always gets in the worst mood when she thinks about her past."

I knew what he meant, not only from feeling Rose's emotions, but because sometimes Alice was sad about her past too. Her sadness was more out frustration that she could remember nothing about it. Even after she learned where she came from, no memories had resurfaced and it pained her. I hoped that Alice hadn't been rehashing her past too.

"What about Alice? Can you hear her?" I asked carefully.

"Alice is…" He paused, narrowing his eyes. "Up to something." He finished dryly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well she's in the garage, handcuffed to the Porsche, singing." He said through his teeth. We had slowed to a walk and were only halfway across our front lawn.

"Now Edward, don't jump to conclusions, maybe she isn't trying to block you. Maybe she's just singing because she's in a good mood. What is she singing?" I asked hopefully.

"The Grateful Dead." He snapped. _Oh crap._

"Maybe she's trying to block you out because she really missed Jasper and is thinking impure thoughts about him…you know…naked thoughts." Emmett whispered loudly.

"Then why has she handcuffed herself to the Porsche I gave her Emmett?" Edward growled.

Emmett's eyebrows shot up. He grinned wickedly as he slid his arm around Edward's shoulders, "You see, little brother, when two people love each other very much…and they want to express that love, it's sometimes fun to try new things. I realize that you are, ahem, ill informed on this matter perhaps…"

"Emmett," I interrupted. "I think you are mistaken about Alice's intention." I glared.

"Please Jasper, you don't have to be ashamed. If anyone understands, it's me." He said knowingly.

"What? There's nothing to understand!" I said frantically looking at Carlisle who was smirking at me.

"Carlisle, Alice and I are…I mean we don't…"

"I propose that Jasper goes into the garage alone to check out the situation. If it IS what Emmett is implying, we will go inside and pretend we don't have a garage for the next few hours." Carlisle suggested in an offhand manner. He was trying to be supportive of all of us. He was simultaneously assuring Edward we were going to check it out, assuring Emmett that he wasn't a freak and respecting my privacy. How does he do that?

"Jasper? Is that acceptable? We will wait outside, if you and Alice wish to be, er, _alone_ just tell us to leave with your thoughts…" Edward asked grudgingly.

I looked back and forth between Edward and Carlisle. Emmett was in the background nodding excitedly. "Okay, fine." I sighed. I can't believe I'm doing this.

We crept around to the garage door, and I slipped in silently. There she was, as gorgeous as ever-handcuffed to the Porsche.

"Um, Alice?"

"It took you long enough. Most men would come barging through the door if they thought their wives were handcuffed and waiting for them…" She whispered.

My eyes nearly fell out of my head. "Are you serious? You want me to…while you are handcuffed to a sports car?"

"No, of course not!", she bit out angrily. "I know you are all skulking by the door," she called out. "Get in here!"

Edward, Emmett and Carlisle slowly filed in. The only one who didn't look the slightest bit embarrassed was Emmett. I was going to kill him later.

"Just so you idiots know my hearing is just as good as yours. Emmett you pervert! How could you think that?"

"Well, what was I supposed to think?" He said defensively. "Whenever Rose ties herself up somewhere she wants me to hunt her down and then stick my-

"EMMETT!" Rose had just walked in. "What the Hell is going on?"

"Jasper and Alice are all embarrassed because I caught on to their naughty secret."

"What naughty secret?" Esme asked warily as she walked into the garage.

"Nothing, Esme. Just a misunderstanding." I mumbled. She looked around at us. I was staring at my shoes, Rosalie was smacking Emmett repeatedly while he grinned, Alice was handcuffed to her car, Edward was looking increasingly irritated and Carlisle was staring at Esme with the deer in the headlights look. Recognition dawned on her face. She gaped at us in horror.

"What is going on in here Alice?"

"I was trying to keep Edward from taking my Porsche back. Unfortunately my intentions were misunderstood." She jerked her head at Emmett.

"What? What was I supposed to think?" Emmett said defensively as Rose grabbed him by the ear and dragged him in the house.

"Why, pray tell, might I take your car back Alice?" Edward said in a silky, dangerous whisper.

Alice looked away from us, her gaze fixed on something small in the corner of the garage. It was a beat up, muddy motorcycle. I closed my eyes and waited for the insanity.

It didn't come. I opened one eye and looked at Edward. He was listening to Alice's thoughts intently, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Alice must have seen our confusion, because she quickly caught us up to speed.

"Bella went to La Push today. I didn't see it until it was actually happening. Jacob Black picked her up from school and took her back there-but she is totally fine!" Alice said quickly. She looked at each of us, waiting for someone to respond. The silence was long and heavy.

Esme was the one who broke it. "Edward," she said gently. "Perhaps you need to think about Bella's feelings toward the wolves. We know their dangerous, yes, but they have only ever been kind to Bella. It's understandable that has tender feelings toward them."

"I'm terribly sorry that I have a problem with the love of my life having 'tender feelings' toward a pack of vicious, unrefined beasts. They are a danger to her, can no one else see this?" Edward spat out, disgusted.

"Some may call our kind vicious, but that doesn't mean that we, The Cullens, are vicious because we are identified as Vampires. Maybe these friends of Bella's are less dangerous than you believe Edward. If you love Bella, you must accept her and her choices. Just as she must accept yours, if she loves you." Esme said softly.

"Is sneaking off to do exactly what I have begged her not to do your idea of accepting me?"

"You have to give a little bit Edward. Explain your position and offer a compromise you can live with. Perhaps they could meet somewhere neutral, somewhere you could be nearby."

"I am not going to sit around and watch that stinking dog hit on my girlfriend, or worse hide out and spy on them while I listen to his filthy mongrel thoughts."

"Well, then Edward think of your own compromise. Think hard on it though, because every day you let this drag on you drive a wedge farther and farther between you and Bella. Eventually she may hate you for it." Esme said crossly.

Edward's eyes narrowed into slits, but he said nothing. I could tell by his emotions that Esme had hit her mark though. She turned her cross manner to Carlisle, "Speaking of considering people's feelings, do you not think it's time to apologize to Jasper and Alice and come inside while they sort this out?"

Carlisle flashed her a boyish innocent smile before turning to face Alice and I, "I hope you will both forgive the intrusion into your personal life…"

"I forgave you yesterday after I first had the vision of this nonsense." Alice casually replied. Her response struck a strange note in me…

"Alice you knew that this would happen? That we would misunderstand…" I was tripping over my words.

"Of course, silly." She kissed my cheek as she pulled the tiny key out of her pocket and unlocked her wrists.

My eyes were bulging. "Then why did you do it anyway?"

"I figured this was the only scenario that would distract Edward from killing me long enough for him to calm down. Now that Bella's safe and Edward realizes he has been acting like an ass," she shot him a smile and he glared at her. "I know he won't take my car back."

_Vicious, evil, conniving pixie… I have married the scariest woman on Earth._

"You can say that again Jasper." Edward said over his shoulder as he walked out of the garage.

"Well, since I'm forgiven…if you will excuse us…" Carlisle laughed under his breath and took Esme's arm as they disappeared into the house as well.

I just stared at Alice. She grinned and batted her eyes.


	30. Brilliant, Honey

**Path Of The Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not nor have I ever owned the rights to Twilight or to any of its characters.

I have decided, thanks to the resounding cries to continue, to pick this story back up. I'm glad that people are still reading it…truly your kind words are inspiring. Enjoy!

Chapter 30-"Brilliant, honey."

I smiled evilly at my still handcuffed wife. It would serve her right if I left her cuffed to that car. At least then maybe I would know what she was up to for five minutes.

"Yeah, right Jasper. We both know you wouldn't leave me out here. Besides, you have to admit it was a brilliant idea."

"It was a _brilliant_ idea to insinuate to our family that we are some sort of bondage freaks. Now we have given Emmett enough ammunition to make fun of us for at least a thousand years." I leaned casually against Edwards Volvo and crossed my arms across my chest. I wasn't actually mad at her, but really. She was out of control. Lies, Italy, hypothetical weddings, handcuffs…Alice always ran a little to the eccentric side, but this was ridiculous.

"Honey, you can't possibly believe that in the next ten decades Emmett won't find something else to amuse himself with. Don't forget, Edward is still a virgin. He'll have a field day on Bella and Edward's wedding night." She smiled knowingly at me, but there was a timber of worry in her voice.

"Alice, you know I'm not mad."

"Yes, but I can feel that you aren't happy too. Don't forget how attuned your wife is to you Mr. Empath. What's up?" She asked softly.

"I just think you've been acting even more "Alice" than usual. I want some down time. My mind is exhausted." Her eyes were sympathetic and she wriggled out of her shackles and into my arms. She kissed me a million times across my neck and cheek, slowly working her way to my lips.

"I'm sorry Jasper. I promise we can do whatever YOU want today."

I held her tightly. I knew deep down it wasn't Alice's behavior. Well not completely. I DID just want to relax with her, but I had the most unsettling feeling that I was not going to get that down time. I felt almost like something bad was about to happen…I couldn't put my finger on it though, so I didn't tell her. Instead, I decided to lighten the mood.

"So…what exactly did you see Emmett doing to our poor, virginal brother on his wedding night?"

She grinned, "Technically, it isn't just one thing. He keeps changing his mind. Hidden cameras, bursting in with water balloons, setting a flock of seagulls loose in their bedroom, waiting in their bed naked for them, _hiding_ the bed…you get the picture."

"Edward is going to tear him to shreds. Is Emmett suicidal now?"

"No, that's why he keeps changing his mind. He wants something annoying, but funny enough that even Edward will see the humor in it."

"I think maybe he should keep working on it. All of those plans will lead to certain death." I laughed picturing Edward's face if his perfect night was ruined by Emmett's shenanigans. We had all talked to Edward about the sex thing over the years. None of us could figure out what he was waiting for, especially while Tanya and her sisters were around. Even among vampires, Tanya was considered a great beauty. Gorgeous was apparently not enough for Edward. He was extremely old fashioned, and according to him her thoughts were, um, unladylike to say the least. I wonder if it would change things between him and Bella if he could read her mind too. Probably not, they were so similar…and I could see both of them being less than amused at their sex lives being the butt of a joke. That didn't, however, mean that the rest of us wouldn't find it extremely amusing. Hmmm…maybe Emmett would let me get in on it…

"I wouldn't if I were you," Alice said solemnly while giggling to herself over whatever she had seen Edward doing to Emmett and I in retaliation. Then she kissed me quickly and bounded toward the house. "I have to bring Bella home from our "sleepover" so Charlie doesn't get the wrong idea." Wow. I hadn't even noticed when the sun came up. Time flew by me when I was next to her…

"I will be waiting expectantly for that day you promised me…"

She turned and flew back to my arms, "We can start as soon as I get back. Fifteen minutes tops." She gave me her most dazzling smile and a flirty wink and she was gone.

I starting thinking about all the things I wanted to do with my day with Alice…


	31. Patrol

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

Chapter 31-Patrol

It was exactly what I had been waiting for. I was stretched out in the enormous tub in our bathroom, with my wife opposite me. The suds shone and sparkled as the slid down her perfect, ivory skin. The steam was thick and reassuring as it wafted throughout the air. I washed each one of her perfect toes in her favorite Lavender soap. She sighed and rested her head back, keeping her eyes on me.

"Jasper, why don't we do this every day?"

"If we did there might not be time for shopping." I said innocently. Her laughter was like music, bouncing off the tiles around us.

"Don't be silly, there is always time for shopping. Really, why does it feel like we can never get enough of stuff like this? Relaxing, quite moments…" She was asking in earnest. I could see it in her eyes, a regretful sadness was there. That had not been my intention.

I shook my head and smiled at her, "Alice, I could spend every minute of every day for the rest of eternity with you and I would still feel it was not nearly enough time." I held her gaze, sending waves of my feelings for her across the small space between us. I could almost watch them permeate the air, riding on tendrils of steam, and resting with her. Her sigh as they reached her was exquisite.

"I love you too," she said softly. Then with an evil grin, she slid across the tub into my lap. "So, we are agreed then? Never leaving the tub?"

"I don't know, Alice," I toyed with her, running my fingers lightly up her thighs. "It sounds nice in theory…"

"Only in theory?" She brushed her lips across my collarbone with the barest touch.

"Well, we would need to leave to hunt." I teased. "And I don't believe for a second that Esme would allow us to be in here for eternity. How would she clean the bathroom? That would be quite embarrassing…" I laughed silently as I felt her aggravation swell. I ran the soapy washcloth across her back and up the back of her neck.

"That is a pitiful excuse!" She slapped the water indignantly, splashing me with a sly smile on her face. I grabbed her hands and kissed her with a ferocity I hadn't even sensed growing within me. Perhaps it was the steam…

The door burst open and flew off the hinges. Really? I caught it seconds before it slammed into the back of Alice's head. I snarled, viciously in the direction of the door.

"Oh, crap, sorry guys…I thought Jasper was alone in here."

Ah, yes. The real reason we could not possibly expect to spend eternity in isolated bliss. Emmett stood in the doorway covering his eyes.

"Emmett, get the Hell out before I tear your limbs off and beat you with them!" I stood abruptly, dumping Alice into the water and covering her from sight with the broken door.

"I'm sorry! Listen, Edward called. There was someone in Bella's house while she was sleeping over here last night. He is, of course, currently dragging her here but he wants us to check out the woods by her place and see if we know the scent." He was talking really fast, trying to get it all out before I made good on my threat. Luckily for him I understood his words through my fury.

"What?" Alice asked in horror from behind the shattered door. "Who? Is Charlie…?"

"Edward said that whoever it was didn't touch Charlie. He thinks it must be Volturi…hey, wouldn't you see that Alice?" Emmett dropped his hand and looked quizzically at her.

"Emmett!" I roared.

"Crap, sorry Alice!" He covered his eyes again.

"Go downstairs. I will be down in a minute." I ordered. He backed out quickly, leaving splintered wood and waves of embarrassment behind him. My fists slowly unclenched.

I looked down at my wife, she looked like if she could cry tears would be streaming down her perfect face.

"Are you okay, love?"

"How could I miss this, Jasper? Someone could have killed Bella and I never would have seen them." She shook her head in shame.

"You can't see everything. Maybe it was a werewolf…"

"Edward would have known if it was a werewolf. He would have smelled it all over the house." She looked miserable. I hated to leave her like this, but if whoever was there left a trail I needed to catch it as soon as possible.

"Alice-"

"Go. If you leave now maybe we can still catch them. I'll take care of all of this." She looked around at the shattered wood and suds all over the floor with a small shadow of a smile

"I love you, Alice. Everything will be okay. I promise." I tilted her chin up and kissed her lips firmly.

It took me a grand total of two minutes to get dressed and find Emmett outside. Thankfully he wasn't wearing any crazy camouflage this time. I guess he felt the same gravity to the situation that I felt. We tore through the woods. On the way to Bella's the only other vampire we could smell was Edward. His scent was thick in the woods from his constant midnight runs to her bedside.

When we reached the area roughly behind Bella's we spread out. I went east and Emmett, west. I carefully picked through the bushes, stretching my senses out before me. I felt no one except for Emmett, who was currently about three miles to my right. I kept moving, randomly selecting leaves or branches to hold closer to my nose. That's how I caught it. It was hours old, and very faint. The vampire must have just barely touched the leaf at a dead run. I called for Emmett softly. I held out my find and he took it silently, bringing it to his nose and looking around cautiously.

"There is no need for caution, they are long gone." I grumbled.

"How can you be sure?"

"I can't be, but the scent is diluted and I don't feel anyone in the area. If there were someone here I would feel something from them. Fear…hesitation…anger…something, but there is nothing here."

"Maybe we should try and follow it for awhile."

"Yeah, smell everything. That is how I found this one." I took it back from Emmett's fingers and stuck it in my pocket.

"Why are you keeping it?" He asked.

"We don't recognize the scent but maybe Carlisle or Edward will. We also may need it for comparison or something like that."

He nodded and we began to search the nearby foliage. The trail led east for a few miles and then south…where it abruptly ended. I stopped and thought about what we had found, playing over the possibilities in my head. Emmett ran around in circles refusing to believe the tracks had stopped. I watched him pacing and ripping at leaves and branches, practically shoving them up his nose in his effort to find the impossible.

"Emmett, I don't think our 'friend' was alone." I said quietly as a likely situation took shape in my strategists mind.

"What do you mean? You've got a new scent?"

"No, that's just it. There is nothing else here. Maybe they had transportation waiting for them."

Emmett's eyes widened and he started searching the ground. He kicked some of our discarded branches aside-we had made quite a pile-and there it was. Tire tracks. He let out a low whistle. So they were not alone. How many were there then?


	32. Theories

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight _or to any of its characters.

Thank you for your continued interest in my story! The reviews are wonderful. Please continue to let me know how I'm doing as an author and what you think of my story as it progresses.

Chapter 32- Theories

During the run home my mind ran almost as fast as my feet. I tried over and over to reason out the recent events. No matter how I spun it, it made no sense. Whoever had gone into Bella's house had gone in with a plan. They had obviously picked up on the scent of more than a few vampires frequenting the area-the fact that they had even entered was interesting. Then there was the fact that whoever it was had left Charlie alive-another anomaly as far as "normal" vampire behavior. This being was obviously not intimidated by a large group and in complete control of their bloodlust. In other words they were not a newborn vampire-they were strong. They were strong…and they had gone in with a plan. The fact that they had a car waiting told me that they had definitely not missed our scent, and that they realized their escape time may be extremely limited. They also…_HAD SOME NERVE. _They knew that this human was ours, whether they realized "ours" meant family and friend rather than dinner, or not. They smelled our coven all over her, her home and everything she owned…and they went in anyway. That right there called for retaliation-at least it did where I came from. Carlisle's way was different. I did not disagree with our peaceful existence, not at all. In fact, I reveled in our life and its lack of battle. That did not, however, change the way my mind worked. My last human memories were of war and my first memories in this life were of war…it was in my nature, a part of me. I could not necessarily help that my first instinct was retaliation. I knew Edward was probably already screaming for it and that Emmett would be on board…but Carlisle would squash any attempt that we made at picking a fight. Alice would be right behind him. We had a situation though. One way or another it had to be handled if Bella and Charlie were to remain safe.

We ran straight into the house at full speed, the quicker the better, since Edward was probably on the rampage. Maybe one day he would regain control of his emotions. I sighed, because I knew deep down he was capable. I had seen it myself. However, the fact that that Edward was a teenager, riddled with hormones when he was changed would make him prone to these overreactions and emotional outbursts for all time. I took an unnecessary breath and let Emmett spill the news about what we had found.

"Long gone, hours ago, the trail went East, then South, and disappeared on a side road. Had a car waiting."

"That's bad luck, if he'd gone west…well, it would be nice for those dogs to make themselves useful," Edward grumbled. I felt Bella's reflexive shudder. Their emotions around each other never ceased to amaze me. Not only were they capable of one of the most deep and profound loves I'd ever witnessed, myself and Alice excluded of course, but their emotional centers seemed almost connected in a cause and effect manner. Whatever one did or said or felt directly influenced the other. It was instantaneous. I had heightened senses and speed, in addition to being an Empath, and I could detect no lapse in time from her reactions toward his or vise versa. They reacted almost as one being…it was interesting. Maybe one day I would ask Carlisle his thoughts on it…speaking of which…

"Neither of us recognized him. But here. Maybe you know the scent," I handed him the fern frond that had the vague scent on it. He held it to his nose, analyzing the nuances of the scent carefully. I could tell he really wanted to be able to say he knew the culprit, to be able to put everyone at ease.

"No, not familiar. No one I've ever met." His eyes darkened. I could tell he found this all very disturbing.

"Perhaps we're looking at this the wrong way. Maybe it's a coincidence," Esme said thoughtfully. My jaw dropped. I think every jaw in the room did. She looked around at our expressions and qualified her statement. "I don't mean a coincidence that a stranger happened to pick Bella's house to visit at random. I mean that maybe someone was just curious. Our scent is all around her. Was he wondering what draws us there?"

My anger spiked all over again. Was he wondering what draws us to this human or was he trying to draw us out? Maybe it was an ambush…

"Why wouldn't he just come here then? If he was curious?" Emmett roared.

Esme smiled sweetly at her "youngest son". "You would. The rest of us aren't always so direct. Our family is very large-he or she might be frightened. Charlie wasn't harmed, this doesn't have to be an enemy." I felt Carlisle perk up at the thought of a rational, peaceful explanation.

"I don't think so," Alice spoke up. "The timing of it was too perfect. This visitor was so careful to make no contact…almost like he or she knew I would see."

Ah, she was so right. This enemy, whoever they were, knew exactly what they were doing. That explained Alice's strange lapse in sight. Well, sort of. It was so hard to understand the paradoxes of her talent…this person had to know her. Yet…if they knew her, why did none of us recognize the scent? I twisted several possibilities around my head, lost in my thoughts. I had just started to formulate a plan when a sudden swell of fear and anger brought me back to the conversation. _Oh, shocker. Bella wants to be a vampire and Edward said no again…Oops he heard that. _Edward shot me an evil look. _Whatever, Edward-you know this feels wrong. Something big is going on. _He just shook his head slightly. _What do you think we should do? Watch her every second of every day? _His eyes lit up. Why had I opened my big fat mouth. Edward was instantly laying out a surveillance plan. My thoughts drifted. I let them, because I knew if I focused to hard-my thin, shadow of a plan would fail miserably. I glanced at Alice, who was completely absorbed in Edward's plan. Apparently she was on first shift. That would be perfect. I let my thoughts drift more, purposely thinking about everything and nothing. I needed to test my theory. There could be no variables. Alice could not know my plan. So…I couldn't have one. Not exactly.


	33. First Attempts

**Path Of the Empath**

The disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Twilight_ or to any of its characters.

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Chapter 33- First Attempts

Alice and I adjourned to the sanctity of our bedroom so that Alice could change for her rainy overnight watch outside Bella's house. She was deeply disturbed by the day's events. I felt the uncertainty radiating off of her. I followed her right into our enormous closet and grabbed her arm.

"What is it?" I asked searching her eyes.

"I feel like this is my fault." She said softly, letting her amber eyes study the floor rather than look at me.

"Alice, this isn't anyone's fault. Bella is fine, nothing happened and we are going to make sure it doesn't." I moved closer to wrap my arms around her, but she pulled away.

"Jasper, what if it's me? What if my power is broken, or gone?" She finally looked up at me.

I laid my hands on her cheeks and kissed her lips gently. "There is nothing wrong with your power. You are being paranoid, now stop beating yourself up about this. I'm sure there is a perfectly good explanation for why you didn't see whoever was there."

She nodded slowly, unconvincingly, and turned to grab an outfit that was less likely to leave her soaked as she watched over Bella from the woods. Her stilettos and sweater-dress were not going to cut it. Obviously she wouldn't be cold, but that didn't mean being wet for hours was comfortable. She dressed in dark jeans and a long sleeved black tee-shirt, then pulled on her black boots and a black rain slicker. I smiled at my wife's instinct to stay as camouflaged as possible, even if the real threats were going to be ones that could see in the dark. I knew she was more than capable of handling herself, but the fact that our enemy was invisible to us made me uneasy.

"Do you have your cell phone?" I asked.

"Yes, of course. Don't worry, everything will be fine." She smiled, but it was only a shadow of my normal Alice's smile.

That only increased my determination. I would figure this out. The ball had to start rolling before she or Edward could pick up on my plans. If Edward heard my thoughts, he wouldn't disapprove, but then he would be one more person whose future could tip Alice off that something was up. Keeping MY future quiet was going to be hard enough. I focused on clearing my thoughts, and then suddenly sent a huge bolt of anxiety and impatience out into the house. I felt bad, because I knew my Alice would get the brunt of it. It had to be strong though, because I needed Edward to feel it too. He needed to get Bella home so I could experiment. There was a rap on our door, and I knew it had worked.

"Come in," Alice called. It was Edward. What a surprise. I smiled smugly.

"Alice, I really think we ought to get moving. I will feel better when everything is in place." Then he turned to me with a puzzled expression on his face. _Damn_. He knew something was up.

"Jasper," He locked eyes with me_. Edward, please trust me. Don't say anything. _ His eyes narrowed and he nodded slightly, changing whatever he had been about to say. "What time are you coming to relieve Alice?"

"I'll be there before sunrise, as earlier discussed. I am capable of following the plan, Edward. I'm not Emmett, you know…"

"HEY!!!" Emmett boomed from downstairs. I smirked and fanned the fire a little more to take the focus of off myself.

"Well, Emmett, it's kind of true. I mean it's probably just because you are still practically a _baby_ by vampire standards…"

That did it. I heard a crash from the stairs, most likely the banister, and Emmett was in the room almost instantly. He took one look at my mocking expression and leaped straight for me. So predictable. I quickly stepped aside. "Oh, come on Emmett. There you go showing your age again." I twirled and grabbed his throat mid growl. Edward rolled his eyes at our game.

"Alice, are you ready?" He sighed.

She giggled, oblivious to my scheming, "Yeah, let's go get Bella home." She blew a kiss at me and shut the door behind her, leaving Emmett and I wrestling on the floor.

I kept up our mock battle until I heard Edward's Volvo rage to life. I rolled expertly out of Emmett's headlock and grinned at him.

"Well done, brother."

His astonished look made me laugh. "What the hell are you talking about Jasper?"

"I needed a distraction. Edward was in my thoughts and I needed him out."

"Ah, enough said." He stood up and dusted off his jeans. I'm sure that was for Rosalie's benefit, rather than his own. She tended to react just as poorly to ruined clothes as Alice did. "What were ya thinking about Jas? Our new vampire sister again? Tsk, tsk…" He shook his head mockingly.

"Yeah," I lied smoothly. "I wish he would just do it already." I had to get Emmett out of here. "So what did you break on your mad dash to rip me apart?"

"The banister…again. Oh, and I crushed the third stair from the top." He laughed to himself. I'm sure he was recounting the last time he had broken the banister. It had been quite a scene, involving Emmett, a rope and a Tarzan costume. It was a Halloween Esme would never forget no matter how hard she tried. She had walked into the room just in time to see Emmett try to swing down and grab Rosalie. He didn't make it. He had split the banister in two and landed ass up in Rose's lap. And had, conveniently not tied his loincloth properly. I shuddered at the memory.

"Maybe I should clean that up before…"

"EMMETT CULLEN! WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ON MY STAIRS?!"

"…Esme sees it. Damn. I'm toast. Later Jas." He bounded out of the room.

I figured that right now Alice was about halfway to Bella's, running alongside Edward's car under the cover of the trees. So Bella would be safe and looked after for the next few minutes. Time to test the waters. I figured I knew the boundaries of Alice's power better than anyone, other than her and Aro. Most of what we knew were theories though. There was no way to be certain exactly what her parameters were…unless we experimented a little. I figured I should start small, I didn't want her to notice the visions I was going to try to plant. It was time to get specific, because I knew specificity was intrinsic to her seeing the future. I needed to make a definite, specific decision…

_I think I will rearrange our closet, since there is nothing to do today. _I walked deliberately into our closet, glancing at my watch. I went straight to her hot pink Jimmy Choo's and had just placed my hand around the left one when my phone rang. I checked the watch, exactly 43 seconds.

"Hello?"

"What are you doing? Why would you rearrange the closet?" She demanded. "Please just leave it alone Jasper. Can't you find something else to do? I only left a few minutes ago, and already my Jimmy Choo's are in danger."

"Ok, ok! You win. I will find a different project."

"Thanks Jas, love you!" She hung up, satisfied that her precious shoes were safe and sound.

Hmm…well one thing was for sure. Alice's power was functioning. Now how about something more dire…

_I wonder if I get in Carlisle's Mercedes, if Emmett will play chicken with me in his Jeep?_

I had barely gotten the full thought together when the phone rang again. "Hello?"

"Jasper, what is with you today? Chicken? You are acting worse than Emmett. Go read a book or something that won't destroy you or my shoes." She said with exasperation. I smiled to myself.

"It was just a thought, Al. Don't worry I wasn't seriously going to play chicken with Carlisle's car. Edward's maybe…"

"Jasper…"

"Kidding love. Forget I ever considered it." I hung up. So if her power was working, and if danger made the vision pop up quicker…why hadn't Alice seen this mystery visitor? Maybe it was human related. No, she had seen Bella's future before. Maybe it was Charlie. Maybe something about him made Alice blind…like the way Edward couldn't hear Bella's thoughts. It could be genetic.

I jumped in the car intending to "just get out for a bit". I drove aimlessly, closer and closer to Bella's. Finally I parked down the street from her house, intending to "just go for a walk". I wandered closer…

"What are you doing here?"

I spun around and there she was. "I was just going for a walk…" I started lamely.

"You were going for a walk in the rain on Bella's street at the exact same time I happened to be watching her? Come on Jasper, you were checking up on me. Admit it!"

"You're right. I'm sorry, I just felt uneasy and wanted to check and make sure everything was okay." I said quickly. I couldn't believe my good luck. She had spoon fed me an excuse. For now, it would do. But I was not finished yet. Not even close.


End file.
